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In the deep Amazon rainforest, scientists have found the largest snake in the world. During a National Geographic trip, TV wildlife broadcaster Professor Freek Vonk discovered a gigantic anaconda which is the biggest snake to be reported in history.
The species was discovered while Will Smith and crew were filming the National Geographics Disney+ series "Pole to Pole." The Latin name for the new species is "Eunectes akayima," which translates to "Northern Green Anaconda," according to researchers.
The ginormous snake weighs 440 pounds and stretches to 26 feet. The head of the creature resembles the size of a human's head, as reported by the Independent. This is the world's heaviest and largest snake species.
These anacondas usually are faster than their prey and use their physiques to suffocate and devour them whole.
In a video shared on Instagram, Professor Vonk is seen fearlessly swimming alongside the enormous anaconda, showing off his discovery. ''The BIGGEST anaconda I've ever seen can be seen in the video, as thick as a car tire, eight meters long, and over 200 kg heavy - with a head as big as my head. From total awe and admiration a monster,'' he captioned the video.
In an Instagram video, Professor Vonk proudly displays his findings by swimming next to the massive anaconda. In the video's caption, he conveyed ''The BIGGEST anaconda I've ever seen can be seen in the video, as thick as a car tire, eight meters long, and over 200 kg heavy - with a head as big as my head. From total awe and admiration a monster.''
Professor Vonk informed on his past findings by stating "I’ve discovered a new species before, but that was a small snake from Australia. Now it's about a mythical and legendary animal, one that I can fit four times! Definitely one of the highlights of my scientific career. Also because this snake can be found in the Amazon, a place that feels like home to me."
It was formerly believed that there was just one species of Green Anaconda, called the Giant Anaconda, in the Amazon. According to Mr. Vonk and his group of fourteen other scientists from nine different nations, the northern green anaconda is an entirely different species from the green anaconda.
The newly discovered species, which differs genetically from the southern green anaconda by 5.5%, diverged from the former roughly 10 million years ago, according to a description published in the journal Diversity.
Bryan Fry who was the expedition's leader and is a co-author of the research is a biologist at the University of Queensland. He provided further insights by stating ''Genetically, the differences are massive. They're five-and-a-half percent different, genetically. To put that into context, we're about two percent different from chimps.''
Researchers have informed that the discovery is critical to the preservation of anacondas, which are apex predators and essential in maintaining the ecosystem's balance. This species of snake is sure to spark the curiosity of people and encourage them to learn more about the amusing creature.
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