02 The Green Anaconda

The adult green anaconda is one of the world's largest and heaviest snakes. Adult anacondas average about 6 metres in length, but some can grow as long as 9 metres and weigh as much as 250 kilograms! Females grow much larger than males. They are mostly olive green with black or brown spots on their bodies.

Green anacondas eat anything they can catch and overpower such as rats, fish, birds, deer, warthogs, other snakes, and even crocodiles! They kill their prey by constricting their bodies around it and squeezing until the victim dies. Anacondas can open their jaws very wide, and the prey is swallowed whole, usually head first. After eating a large meal, anacondas become very inactive and may not eat again for weeks!

The green anaconda is found in slow-moving rivers and swamps of northern and central South America. They are also sometimes found on riverbanks and grasslands near water.

Females give birth to as many as 30 live, baby anacondas after being pregnant for about 6 months. Neither the male, nor the female takes care of the baby anacondas.

There are still many anacondas in the wild, but some of their habitat is being destroyed by humans.

Word List

constricting : wrapping around

swallowed whole : eaten in one bite

You Practice

I. Answer the following questions.

1) What do green anacondas look like?

2) What are some things that green anacondas eat?

3) Where can green anacondas be found?

4) How do green anacondas kill their prey?

5) How many baby anacondas are usually born at one time?

II. What's the word? Write the correct words from the reading.

1) to be stronger than: o _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2) not moving a lot: i _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3) wet areas: s _ _ _ _ _

4) going to have babies: p _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5) a kind of rodent: r _ _

III. Read these sentences carefully. Write Yes or No for each one.

____ 1) Male green anacondas are larger than female anacondas.

____ 2) Green anacondas can eat large animals.

____ 3) Green anacondas live in South America.

____ 4) Male green anacondas take care of baby anacondas.

____ 5) There are not many green anacondas remaining in the wild.