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Anaconda Facts & Worksheets

An anaconda is a big, semi-aquatic reptile that lives in South American jungles and forests.

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An anaconda is a large, semi-aquatic reptile found in the jungles and forests of South America. They are heavyweight, nonvenomous snakes in the genus Eunectes. They belong to the family of boa constrictors. One of the largest snakes in the world, they are known for being able to swim.

See the fact file below for more information on the anaconda or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Anaconda worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Physical Characteristics

  • While anacondas are significantly heavier than pythons, they are the world’s longest snake. They are the heaviest snakes on the planet and can arrive at lengths of 20 feet for females. Anacondas are native to South America‘s Amazon and Orinoco River Basins.
  • Anacondas are bulkier than other boas and have a stocky, muscular build. They have wide yet massive heads and robust necks.
  • Because their eyes and nose are located on top of their heads, anacondas can look above the water while spending the majority of their time below. A broad black line separates their eyes and mouth.
  • Scales on anacondas are tiny and smooth, and they get bigger as they move toward the back of their bodies. Their skin is flexible and sensitive, so that it can absorb a lot of water.
  • Anacondas have spurs on their scales close to their cloaca area. Even though female snakes are generally bigger and longer, males have greater spurs than females.

Species

Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus)

  • As their name suggests, these are greenish-gray, olive, or greenish-brown. On the mid-to-rear of their bodies they feature egg-shaped black or brown patches on the mid-to-rear of their bodies. With egg-shaped dots with yellow cores, their sides can occasionally be more yellow than green.
  • When both weight and length are considered, the green anaconda is the biggest snake in the world. It may weigh up to 550 pounds and grow as long as 30 feet (9 meters) (227 kilograms).
  • Green anacondas can swallow their prey by opening their mouths 180 degrees wide.
  • Green anacondas have teeth, but they don’t use them to chew. They use their teeth to hold onto their prey and keep it from escaping.

Yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)

  • Yellow anacondas exhibit dorsal bands, black or dark brown blotches, patches, streaks, and golden-tan or yellow-green colors. On the underside of its tail, each snake bears a distinct pattern of yellow and black scales. Nine feet is roughly how long they usually are (2.7 m).
  • The yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) is also called the Paraguayan anaconda.
  • This species is endemic to South America, particularly Paraguay, Bolivia, and parts of Argentina and Brazil.
  • The size of a yellow anaconda is smaller than that of a green anaconda.

Beni or Bolivian anaconda (Eunectes beniensis)

  • Little is known about these anacondas, which, until scientists discovered they were a separate species, were long thought to be a mix of yellow and green anacondas. They have an anaconda-like green color.
  • The Bolivian anaconda (Eunectes beniensis) is also known as the Beni anaconda because it is endemic to the Beni Province in Bolivia.

Dark-spotted anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei)

  • These anacondas can grow to be around 9 feet (2.7 m) long and feature dark brown or black markings on a brown background.
  • The dark-spotted anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei) is also known as the Deschauensee’s anaconda.
  • It inhabits several parts of South America: northeastern Brazil, Guyana, and French Guiana.

Natural Habitat

  • Anacondas are mostly found in the tropical rain forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, where they inhabit swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams. On land, they are heavy, but in the water, they are svelte and sneaky. They prosper in the tropical heat, humidity, and lush vegetation.
  • They spend most of their time swimming or hiding in slow-moving streams and dark rivers. They bask in the sun on branches that dangle above a body of water that they may quickly dive into if necessary.
  • The early evening and the night are when anacondas are most active. They are slow to move on land because of their bulk, but they move quickly in the water. Green anacondas are solitary snakes with individual home ranges. They are adaptive snakes that may live by themselves in mud and go dormant during the dry season on grasslands.

Diet & Hunting

  • Like other boas, anacondas are non-venomous. They generally search for a variety of animals under cover of night. Anacondas often wait for food to approach rivers along the banks where the murky waters and their camouflaging colors obscure them. They then launch an assault. They use their constrictive killing style while securing their victim with their pointed, curved fangs.
  • Anacondas consume numerous creatures. While adult snakes may consume caiman, capybara, or even a jaguar, little snakes often prey on rodents, lizards, and fish. Sometimes female anacondas consume males.
  • The prey is swallowed whole by anacondas when it has died. They can expand their mouths widely enough to maneuver around enormous prey thanks to a sizable, unfused ligament on either side of their mandibles and flexible jaw joints.
  • Their bodies can alter form to assemble their supper because of their elastic skin and absence of a sternum. Apex predators, or those at the top of their food chain, are green anacondas.
  • However, pursuing huge creatures like caiman and jaguar can occasionally lead to fatalities or severe injuries. Anacondas may go weeks or months without eating after a meal.
  • Large animals like jaguars, pumas, and caimans are the primary predators of anacondas. These creatures frequently eat young anacondas, but adult anacondas are too big for the majority of predators to consume. Humans also threaten anacondas because they are occasionally hunted for their skin.
  • Although none have been confirmed, there have been reports of anacondas eating people. However, scientists generally accept that an anaconda could consume a human, and they consume prey that is more resilient and powerful than people.
  • Snakes who devour their meal alive have a far lower chance of surviving than those who make sure their dinner is already dead. Therefore, even if someone is spat out, they are probably already dead if they are being swallowed.
  • We’re still in awe of these enormous snakes’ size, power, and cunning. Although anacondas are not considered hazardous to people, they can become hostile if they feel threatened. Anacondas have a history of attacking and devouring anyone who disturbs their nests or attempts to catch them.

Reproduction & Lifespan

  • In the spring, females release an airborne chemical or a smell trail to entice males. Males travel large distances in search of females, while females stay in about the same place during mating season. Males have been seen extending their tongues to detect the fragrance of females.
  • Anaconda mating occurs in or near the water, like a large portion of their daily existence. Breeding balls are formed by anacondas, which are huge snake swarms in which two to twelve males coil around a single female and slowly compete for the opportunity to mate with her. Breeding balls could persist for up to four weeks.
  • After mating, females keep their embryos inside their bodies for seven months as they gestate. Females do not feed during this period, probably because hunting involves the danger of injury, which might damage the young. Green anacondas mate every other year or less frequently, maybe because carrying kids needs so much energy.
  • The boa family includes aquatic reptiles like anacondas. And they give live birth, much like boa constrictors. Embryos are enclosed by a membrane and connected to a yolk sac inside the mother. They are forced out of the cloaca when the time comes for birth, and they must rupture the membrane since they are stillborn inside it. Mothers do not take care of their infants since they have an innate ability to exist without them.
  • Anacondas do not currently appear to be in danger of extinction, and their population seems steady. Human ingestion is improbable; hence people shouldn’t kill anacondas. Nevertheless, they experience human persecution since they are frequently murdered on the spot out of fear.
  • The lack of appropriate habitat brought on by the clearing of tropical forests for agriculture or wood is, without a doubt, anacondas’ “greatest threat.”

Anaconda Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about anaconda across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Anaconda worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Anaconda, which is a big, semi-aquatic reptile that lives in South American jungles and forests. They are nonvenomous, heavyweight snakes belonging to the genus Eunectes. They are part of the boa constrictor family.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

  • Anaconda Facts
  • Boa Branding
  • Sort the Species
  • Hiding in Waters
  • Odd One Out
  • Snake Scramble
  • Anapros and Anacons
  • Ana-crostics
  • Photo Hunt
  • Snakify
  • Learning Anacondas
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do anacondas really exist?

Anacondas are mostly found in the tropical rain forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, where they inhabit swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams. On land, they are heavy, but in the water, they are svelte and sneaky. They prosper in the tropical heat, humidity, and lush vegetation.

What animal kills anacondas?

Large animals like jaguars, pumas, and caimans are the primary predators of anacondas. These creatures frequently eat young anacondas, but adult anacondas are too big for the majority of predators to consume. Humans also threaten anacondas because they are occasionally hunted for their skin.

What do anacondas do to humans?

Although none have been confirmed, there have been reports of anacondas eating people. However, scientists generally accept that an anaconda could consume a human, and they consume prey that is more resilient and powerful than people.

Can humans survive inside an anaconda?

Snakes who devour their meal alive have a far lower chance of surviving than those who make sure their dinner is already dead. Therefore, even if someone is spat out, they are probably already dead if they are being swallowed.

Are anacondas harmful?

We’re still in awe of these enormous snakes’ size, power, and cunning. Although anacondas are not considered hazardous to people, they can become hostile if they feel threatened. Anacondas have a history of attacking and devouring anyone who disturbs their nests or attempts to catch them.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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