The green anaconda is known as the largest snake in the world and can grow up to nine metres long.
As a constrictor, the anaconda is non-venomous. It bites down on its prey, coils its body around it, and squeezes until the animal can no longer breathe. Snakes can swallow their prey whole because their jaws are not fused together, allowing them to open their mouths wide enough to engulf animals thicker than themselves. After eating a large meal, an anaconda may go up to two months before feeding again.
The green anaconda spends most of its life in the rivers and swamps of South America. It is perfectly adapted to life in the water, with nostrils and eyes positioned high on its head so it can stay almost completely submerged while waiting for prey.