VIDEO: Large Anaconda Attacks Human

This video shows several anaconda and python attacks on humans.

Animals are instinctively protecting themselves and their territory.

Animal attacks are a common cause of either human fatalities or injuries.

The frequency of animal attacks varies, of course, with geographical location.

Animal attacks have been identified as a major public health problem.

According to Live Science, anacondas are semiaquatic snakes found in tropical South America. They are some of the largest snakes in the world and are known for their swimming ability. “Anaconda” is the common name for the genus Eunectes, a genus of boa. Eunectes means “good swimmer” in Greek.

There are four recognized species of anaconda, according to Bill Heyborne, a herpetologist and professor of biology at Southern Utah University.

They are the green anaconda, the yellow or Paraguayan anaconda, the dark-spotted anaconda and the Beni or Bolivian anaconda. “They can be differentiated from one another genetically, but also based on their size and geographic range,” Heyborne said.

Heyborne said that when most people say “anaconda,” they are actually referring to the green anaconda, the largest of the four species. The green anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world and one of the longest.

According to the Jacksonville Zoo, anacondas feature prominently in South American myths, sometimes appearing as shape shifters, as the creator of the water, as vicious human-eaters, or as magical, spiritual beings with healing properties.

There have also been reports of anacondas reaching lengths of 40, 50 and 100 feet (12, 15 and 30 meters) — far longer than anything scientifically verified. These reports have given rise to the Giant Anaconda myth, popularized in the early 20th century by explorers and colonists.

Anacondas are stocky, muscular snakes that are thicker than other boas. They have thick necks and narrow but large heads. All anacondas have nostrils and eyes on the tops of their heads, which allow them to see above the water while remaining mostly submerged. They have a thick black stripe that runs from the eye to the jaw.

Anacondas have small, smooth scales that grow larger toward the posterior of their bodies. They have loose, soft skin that can handle a great deal of water absorption, according to the University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web (ADW).

Near their cloacal region, anacondas have spurs on their scales. Males have larger spurs than females, though females are overall larger and longer snakes. In fact, anacondas exhibit the largest sexual dimorphism (with the female being larger) of any tetrapod species, according to Jesus Rivas, a herpetologist and founder of the Anaconda Project.

Anacondas’ coloring and size depends on the species. Their spotted, green, yellow and brown color palettes allow them to blend in with tropical rivers and rainforests.

Anacondas are stocky, muscular snakes that are thicker than other boas. They have thick necks and narrow but large heads. All anacondas have nostrils and eyes on the tops of their heads, which allow them to see above the water while remaining mostly submerged. They have a thick black stripe that runs from the eye to the jaw.