Watch This Gargantuan Anaconda Swallow An Entire Pig Like It’s Nothing

Having Trouble Watching? Unfortunately sometimes creators disable or remove their video after we publish. Try to Watch on YouTube

Written by Kirstin Harrington

Updated: November 10, 2023

Share on:

Continue reading for our analysis...

What Do Anacondas Eat - Pet Anaconda
© Holger Kirk/Shutterstock.com

Although the term “anaconda” is really used to describe the entire genus Eunectes, it is most frequently used to describe one species, the green or common anaconda. With the largest girth in relation to the length of any snake, the green anaconda of America is the heaviest snake on the entire globe. 

Males are much smaller than females. They can weigh 550 pounds, have diameters of 12 inches, and have impressive growth of 30 feet. The northern parts of South America are home to green anacondas.

The anaconda is a skilled diver and swimmer. The snakes may wait for prey while being almost completely hidden by the water because their eyes and nasal apertures are located on top of their heads. In order to be able to rapidly enter the water if necessary, anacondas rest and bask in the sun near riverbeds or in tree limbs that dangle over the water. 

Feral pigs, deer, birds, reptiles, capybaras, iguanas, and even jaguars are part of the diet. They don’t hunt very actively, preferring to “watch and wait” when their prey swims past or approaches the water for drinking.

Anacondas murder their prey by coiling their powerful bodies around the animal and twisting until the victim is unable to breathe, just like their boa relatives do. The snake can swallow its food completely because of its flexible jaws. 

The anaconda frequently eats in the water, where it’s possible that the buoyancy helps the food get into the right position for ingestion. After a large meal, these slithering serpents can go weeks or months between eating sessions.

Poor Piggy

A video on YouTube shows just how sneaky these snakes can be! In the footage, we get to witness how one of these snakes wraps itself around a little pig. Although it’s sad to see, this is what nature is truly like!

Where Do Snakes Live

A Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), which is especially partial to flooded grassland.

©Patrick K. Campbell/Shutterstock.com

It’s wild to see just how expertly these snakes wrap their bodies around prey, all while squeezing it to death. One comment on the video points out that these beasts used to be even bigger. 

It reads, “Look at that beast. Incredible. Imagine the size of these things in prehistoric times.” It’s true! The Titanoboa, a snake that measured more than 40 feet long and weighed over 2,000 pounds was the king of the jungle and was a truly amazing creature. This enormous serpent resembled a modern-day boa constrictor in appearance, but it operated more like an aquatic anaconda.

Discover the "Monster" Snake 5X Bigger than an Anaconda

Every day A-Z Animals sends out some of the most incredible facts in the world from our free newsletter. Want to discover the 10 most beautiful snakes in the world, a "snake island" where you're never more than 3 feet from danger, or a "monster" snake 5X larger than an anaconda? Then sign up right now and you'll start receiving our daily newsletter absolutely free.



Share this post on:
About the Author

Kirstin is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering animals, news topics, fun places, and helpful tips. Kirstin has been writing on a variety of topics for over five years. She has her real estate license, along with an associates degree in another field. A resident of Minnesota, Kirstin treats her two cats (Spook and Finlay) like the children they are. She never misses an opportunity to explore a thrift store with a coffee in hand, especially if it’s a cold autumn day!

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.