| Anaconda snakes extract similar responses from | | | | biggest of these snakes grow up to thirty-five feet, |
| most of us, a response smeared by hatred, fear and | | | | and do not generally cross one hundred and fifty |
| probably revulsion. The image of this serpent that we | | | | kilos when weighed. When bred in captivity, they |
| carry in our mind is that of a creature that looks vile | | | | tend to grow to smaller sizes- think about that for a |
| and is widely known to be monstrous. Apart from a | | | | moment! |
| few of the wealthy and the adventurous ones who | | | | Another interesting fact is the physical superiority of |
| want them as pets, most of us prefer to see | | | | females over males. As a matter of fact, female |
| anaconda snakes in TV and glossy travel magazines | | | | anacondas have known to grow as much as five |
| rather than in our homes and at the patio. | | | | times longer and heavier than its male counterparts. |
| The natural habitat if these reptiles are the dense | | | | This is probably one of the extreme cases on |
| tropical forests in lovely South America. Found | | | | physical disparity between two sexes of the same |
| extensively in the Amazon River basin and also other | | | | species. |
| tropical forests, this serpentine creature is worlds one | | | | Another interesting aspect of these majestic snakes |
| of the largest snakes. | | | | is the way they swallow their preys. These |
| These snakes are carnivores, and prey a range of | | | | constrictors have powerful jaws that are loosely |
| aquatic as well as land based creatures. While fish, | | | | hinged to the skulls. While swallowing their preys, the |
| turtles, frogs, dogs, sheep and deer are its favorite | | | | jaws are unhinged, and as a result they can swallow |
| preys, anaconda snakes are also know to have | | | | considerably bigger preys. The preys are always |
| constricted and swallowed considerably bigger animals | | | | swallowed from their head side to ensure that sharp |
| like fully grown deer and even jaguars. | | | | edges like feathers do not rupture the delicate |
| Most of us city dwellers harbor perceptual pollution | | | | internal membrane of the snake digestive system. |
| and think that anaconda snakes are habituated | | | | Docile creatures they are, such reptiles have been |
| man-eaters. In reality, it is exactly the opposite. If | | | | wrongly portrayed as the big, bad guys in novels as |
| given a chance, these snakes will retreat when | | | | well as movies. Despite their projected bad guy |
| confronted, and will attack only as the last desperate | | | | image, this reptiles have been one of the most |
| act of defense. Anacondas are known to attach | | | | favored pet creatures for the wealthy and the |
| humans only when cornered, attacked, harmed or | | | | adventurous people. |
| startled. | | | | Be it the vast natural expanses of the Amazon or |
| All anaconda snakes are perceived to be gigantic | | | | the glass cage in the zoo, they will inspire the |
| having length in excess of fifty feet and weighing | | | | imagination of people. Long live the king of the |
| more than two hundred kilograms each. Again, reality | | | | Amazon, the anaconda snakes. |
| has been totally distorted by these myths. The | | | | |