World’s largest snake is ‘shot dead’ by ‘sick’ hunters in the Amazon rainforest – just a month after biologists discovered the 26ft-long anaconda

Scientists are mourning the loss of the world’s largest snake named ‘Ana Julia’ after hearing she was ‘shot to death by hunters’ on Sunday in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest.

A team of 15 international biologists discovered the northern green anaconda in February and determined it was a new species based on a 5.5 percent difference in its DNA compared to other anacondas.

Ana Julie’s lifeless body, 8 meters long, was found in the Formoso River, in the rural area of ​​Bonito, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in southern Brazil.

A Dutch researcher who helped discover the snake shared that he was “sad and angry” after hearing the news and called the anaconda killers “sick.”

Biologist Professor Freek Vonk shared the news on Instagram, posting: “With a heavy heart, I would like to inform you that the huge anaconda I swam with was found dead in the river.

‘I have heard from several sources that she was shot dead, although there is still no official confirmation on the cause of death.

‘I’m so sad and so angry at the same time.

‘How sick do you have to be to do this to such a beautiful and unique animal?’

‘As far as we know, she was super healthy and still in the prime of her life, so she could have had many offspring in the years to come.

“As there aren’t many of these colossal giant snakes swimming around, the hit to biodiversity is enormous.

“It was the biggest snake I had ever seen with my own eyes.”

Vonk also called the discovery of the northern green anaconda a “highlight” of his scientific career.

The biologist captured incredible footage of himself swimming with Ana Julia last month, showing that the snake was as thick as a car tire – it weighed 440 pounds.

According to wildlife filmmaker Cristian Dimitris, the dead snake is the same one that was filmed swimming with Vonk.

He said: ‘I compared the marks on his face, which are like fingerprints.

‘It must be the most famous anaconda in the world, totally emblematic of the region.

“Images of the snake have already traveled around the world.”

This was also confirmed by anaconda specialist and researcher at the University of São Paulo, Juliana Terra, who described Ana Julia as a “symbol of the Bonito region.”

According to wildlife filmmaker Cristian Dimitris, the dead snake is the same one that was filmed swimming with Vonk.

He said, “I compared the marks on his face, which are like fingerprints,” Dimitris said.

‘It must be the most famous anaconda in the world, totally emblematic of the region.

“Images of the snake have already traveled around the world.”

This was also confirmed by anaconda specialist and researcher at the University of São Paulo, Juliana Terra, who described Ana Julia as a “symbol of the Bonito region.”

Before the discovery, only one species of green anaconda, also called the giant anaconda, had been recognized in the Amazon.

“Together with 14 other scientists from nine countries, we discovered the world’s largest snake species, the green anaconda,” Professor Vonk said in February.

‘As we all know from movies and stories about giant snakes, they are actually two different species.

‘Green anacondas found in the north of their range in South America, including Venezuela, Suriname and French Guiana, appear to belong to a completely different species.

‘Although at first glance they look almost identical, the genetic difference between the two is 5.5 per cent and that is huge.

“To put this in perspective, humans and chimpanzees only differ genetically from each other by about two percent.”

The researchers gave the new species the Latin name Eunectes akayima, which means northern green anaconda.

At the time, the team also expressed concern about the risks the snake faces amid climate change and continued deforestation of the Amazon.

“More than a fifth of the Amazon has already disappeared, which represents more than 30 times the area of ​​the Netherlands,” he said.

“The survival of these iconic giant snakes is inextricably linked to the protection of their natural habitat.”