Anacondas are the largest snakes in the world. They use their powerful bodies
to squeeze their prey. They tighten their grip every time the animal exhales,
until it cannot take another breath. Then, they swallow their food whole.

Size  Up to 30 feet long and more than 550 pounds

Diet  Small and large mammals, reptiles, birds and fishes

Lifespan  10-30 years

Range  South and Central America

Habitat  Rivers, streams and lakes

Predators  Large mammals, reptiles and birds hunt baby anacondas,
but the large adults are rarely threatened by predators such as large caimans or jaguars.

Relatives  Anacondas are a type of boa constrictor. There are approximately
41 species of boas, and four different species of anacondas.

Family life  Anacondas are ovoviviparous, which means that the females carry the eggs within their bodies until the babies are ready to hatch. Then, the pregnant female can give birth to anywhere from 12 to more than 80 2-foot-long baby snakes. The young anacondas are independent as soon as they are born, and do not receive any parental care. It can take many years for a hatchling anaconda to be old enough to breed.

Conservation status  Stable  Anacondas are not considered threatened, but they are affected by habitat loss through their rainforest habitat.

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