Photo: RUSA
Warning: Two-meter Anaconda on the loose in Phoenix!
The public is requested to be on the lookout for the two-meter Anaconda that escaped from a temporary enclosure in Phoenix.
Photo: RUSA
A two-meter Anaconda escaped from a temporary enclosure in Phoenix on Thursday evening.
THE SNAKE COULD EASILY CONSTRICT SMALL CATS AND DOGS
According to Reaction Unit SA (RUSA) spokesperson Prem Balram, the public is requested to be on the lookout for the two-meter Anaconda.
“The non-venomous reptile escaped from a temporary enclosure from its owner’s residence on Troy Street in Starwood, Phoenix on Thursday,” Balram said.
He furthermore said the black and yellow female snake could easily constrict small cats and dogs.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE SNAKE?
“It is expected to grow a further 4 to 5 meters in the next few years. If anyone spots the Anaconda, kindly contact Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) on 086 1234 333,” Balram said.
DID YOU KNOW:
The black and yellow Anaconda belong to the family of snakes, Boidae, which contains pythons, boas, and the green Anaconda, the world’s largest snake.
Even though yellow anacondas are much smaller than their cousin, the Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus), they can reach a length of up to 4.6 meters, but the average adult size is around 3 meters.
Much like their cousin the green Anaconda, female snakes are longer and heavier than males and can reach a length of 4.6 m, while males can measure up to 3.7 m in length.
Although exceptionally large snakes can weigh 40 to 55 kg or even more, their average weight is about 25 to 35 kg.
The yellow Anaconda has a yellow, golden-tan, or yellowish-green base color with brown or blackish bands and spots throughout the entire body. This provides great camouflage both in forest vegetation and murky waters.
ALSO READ: The ‘penis snake’ is Florida’s latest invasive species
Once a yellow anaconda reaches adult size, they have few natural predators, but young yellow anacondas being smaller are more vulnerable. They are hunted and killed by Crab-eating foxes, tegu lizards, spectacled caimans, cats and dogs, raccoons, raptors such as the Crested Caracara and even larger anacondas. The yellow anaconda’s average lifespan in the wild is around 15 to 20 years.
