The size of the Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)

[peter]

TRIBES, PREDATORS AND ME

This is the title of a new series broadcasted by the BBC. I saw the first part yesterday. Reporter Gordon Buchanan and his crew went to Equador to visit the Waorani. The aim was to find out more about the anaconda.

The Waorani live in small (family) groups in the forest. They admire the forest and have intimate knowledge about the animals who live in it. One day, with Buchanan present, they heard birds talking about the peccaris (...). They told them they had returned and therefore decided for a hunt. Buchanan couldn't quite keep up in the dense forest, but they got a big boar. Buchanan, about two feet longer than the three men who hunted the boar, also was asked to carry the boar. Meat, to be sure, is not on the menu a lot. The Waorani live on manioc, vegetables, fish and the occasional boar or monkey. They are excellent trackers and very skilled hunters and tree climbers. Although peccari seemed to top the list, they also hunted spider monkeys.

The village had many animals. Most of them were pets, but the tapir who often visited the village was not. He just enjoyed the company of the Waoranis. Attacked by a jaguar some time ago, he had managed to escape. The scars the jaguar had left were still visible.

Before they took him to a large anaconda, Buchanan was shown the forest. They told him about the habits of the animals. Dolphins featured, but one of the men also saw a big jaguar when they walked the forest. The camera man missed him, but the tracks were unmistable. 

On one of the last days (Buchanan stayed for about 2 weeks), they took him to a place where an anaconda had been seen very recently. They respected all big predators (harpy eagle, anaconda and jaguar). They hunted them, but not in order to kill them. It was about touching them, as this would enable them to get some of the power. Remarkable, as they know anacondas can be dangerous. One of the women told Buchanan that her father had been killed and eaten by an anaconda and another woman also had a family member who had witnessed an attack. This should settle all debates about anacondas and humans. The Waoranis said there's no question that anacondas sometimes kill and eat Indians. Adults. The Waorani, forest people, have no purpose for length and weight, but my guess is most adults exceed 110 lbs. This means that anacondas can swallow quite large mammals.  

The snake they were after had been seen early that morning. They knew where to look for her (most anacondas over 10 feet in length are females), as anacondas seem to be very sedentary. The anaconda was lying between the roots of a tree, about 3 feet below the surface and very close to the river. Although it was a large one, they decided to try to pull her out of her lair. Buchanan had to assist. It wasn't easy, as the snake easily outweighed him. The anaconda was a bit different from the others I saw. It's head seemed to be larger and it was robust, but not as thick as many others. My guess was about 200 pounds and over 15 feet, but I could be wrong. 

I know a bit about anacondas, as I was in Surinam and Guyana a long time ago. I visited an Dutch hunter without permits who sold everything he was able to catch to zoos. He had two anacondas. The first one was about 10 feet and way too strong for anyone. The second was about 5 feet and not even as thick as my lower arm. They told me how to keep it under control and told me with a smile it should be a piece of cake. I never forgot the immense pressure. If a snake with a bit more length and girth would have a go at twolegs, it would be over in less than a minute. Professionals can be seen with long snakes at times, but they know when to do what. If on their own and the snake becomes active, it's curtains. The power large snakes can exercise is difficult to describe.

Same for the captive big cats I measured and weighed. When we talk big cats, we think of weight, claws and teeth. I would propose power. Same for small cats. The woman I was involved with wanted cats and cats it was. One of the two, a moderate-sized male, always surprised me when I entered the kitchen in the morning. He knew I was naked, meaning he didn't use his claws when he jumped me. He always targeted the neck. With one hand on my throat, the other at my chin the teeth on my jugular or skull, he was a small copy of an Amur tiger going for a bear. I always shook him off, but most of the time he managed to hold on using the fingers of one hand only. Imagine the power you need to do that. Something else to consider is intelligence. I knew he would attack me and he knew I knew. In spite of that, I never was able to prevent him doing what he had in mind. He also was able to use his teeth in different ways. Although he really used the power of his jaws, his teeth never penetrated my skin.  

To return to Equador. When Buchanan and the Waoranis parted ways, they said they loved the forest and feared for the future. Oil companies operating at the other end of the forest had destroyed part of the forest and polluted the river. There's no question that the Waoranis are prepared to defend their forest. If I had a say, I would take that very seriously. Indians, like all people living in wild country, are very straight.

Was there something missing? Yes. Although I enjoyed what I saw, I would have appreciated a bit more about communication. They told Buchanan they talked to animals and the other way round, but he didn't use the opportunity to find out a bit more.

Highly recommended: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/mar/18/gordon-buchanan-springwatch-anaconda-tribes-predators-and-me-bbc-amazon Reply