If you’re not a fan of snakes, look away now.
The largest snake in the world has been discovered in the Amazon rainforest; At 26 feet long and weighing 440 pounds, it’s a real stunner.
The northern green anaconda was found by wildlife TV presenter Professor Freek Vonk and is as thick as a car tyre.
Despite having a head the size of a human, it appears Professor Vonk, 40, was not afraid to approach the snake.
Incredible images show the Dutch biologist swimming alongside the huge anaconda.
If you’re not a fan of snakes, look away now. The largest snake in the world has been discovered in the Amazon rainforest; At 26 feet long and weighing 440 pounds, it’s a real stunner.
Until now, only one species of green anaconda, also called giant anaconda, has been recognized in the Amazon.
However, the northern green anaconda has been confirmed as a distinct species in a new study, published in Diversity this month.
“Together with 14 other scientists from nine countries, we discovered the world’s largest snake species, the green anaconda,” Professor Vonk said.
‘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 they look almost identical at first glance, the genetic difference between the two is 5.5% and that is huge.
“To put this in perspective, humans and chimpanzees only differ genetically from each other by about 2%.”
Researchers have given the new species the Latin name Eunectes akayima, which means northern green anaconda.
Despite being recently discovered, researchers say the new species is already threatened.
Despite having a head the size of a human, it appears Professor Vonk, 40, was not afraid to approach the snake.
Incredible footage shows Dutch biologist Professor Freek Vonk swimming alongside huge anaconda
Professor Vonk explained: ‘The Amazon region is under severe pressure due to climate change and continued deforestation.
‘More than a fifth of the Amazon has already disappeared, which represents more than 30 times the area of ​​the Netherlands.
“The survival of these iconic giant snakes is inextricably linked to the protection of their natural habitat.”
Professor Jesús Rivas, lead author of the study, explained that he first realized there was more than one species of green anaconda more than 15 years ago.
Together with his wife, Dr. Sarah Corey-Rivas, they began analyzing samples to look for genetic differences.
However, they had to wait until now to publish their findings.
Professor Rivas said: ‘Sarah and I started working on this in 2007 when we first noticed that there was a big genetic difference between the Venezuelan samples and some samples from Peru.
Until now, only one species of green anaconda, also called giant anaconda, has been recognized in the Amazon. However, the northern green anaconda has been confirmed as a distinct species in a new study, published in Diversity this month.
Professor Jesús Rivas, lead author of the study, explained that he first realized there was more than one species of green anaconda more than 15 years ago.
‘We then began the process of collecting samples and collaborators throughout South America and beyond to complete the mosaic of samples that allowed us to put together the study.
‘I worked in several countries with several colleagues to collect the samples and Sarah did most of the heavy lifting, sequencing genes and performing the phylogenetic analysis.
‘This was a truly international project, looking at the list of authors there is one from Belgium, one from Australia, one from the Netherlands, one from Colombia, one from Brazil, two from Bolivia, two from the United States, three from Ecuador, and three from Venezuela.
‘I’ve been studying anacondas for 32 years, so this raises the question of how many other species there are that we don’t know about.
‘If such an iconic animal went unnoticed for so many years, what about the less striking and less studied animals and plants?
“This finding humbles the mind regarding the true diversity of South America.”