31 October 2015 ~ Anaconda #1

Listening to: My Morning Jacket ~ Rocket Man

I watched the World Rugby finals today. The entire series was played near London. The finals was between two well known rivals: Australian Wallabies and New Zealand All Blacks. The All Blacks were victorious and fun match to watch.

During our Amazon adventure, we spent a lot of time in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve Park.

Our guides were eager to find an anaconda.

Anacondas are the largest snake in the world by weight and the second by length. We had travelers with us from Florida and they explained the danger these snakes are posing there, as people are letting them loose in the wild once they cannot take care of them any longer.

They are known as the common or green anaconda.

Their eyes and nostrils are on the top of their head allowing them to see and breathe while most of their body is under water.

Anacondas are not venomous; they use constriction instead to subdue their prey. Once a target is sighted, it will grab the animal in its jaws, locking it in with its teeth and then squeeze it until it dies of crushing or suffocation. It will then consume the carcass whole. The anaconda can unhinge its jaw to stretch its mouth around the body.

Here is a short video of them letting the snake go.

https://youtu.be/VNx_R6pkH70

This is the video of landing in Lima Peru I couldn't post earlier. It's a bit over 4 minutes...be patient through the cloud descent.

https://youtu.be/l25WgOqvGHk

And of course, Happy Halloween!