Anaconda - Silent Killer | Go Wild

the Anaconda a huge aggressive voracious swamp monster a cunning Ambush killer always ready to crush its next victim to death it could be you this is the stuff of [Music] nightmares a silent killer with over six M of sheer muscle power as thick as a car tire but is this the real [Music] anaconda South America the Caribbean nation of Guana on the North East Coast boasts one of the largest unspoiled stretches of rainforest on the continent home to a huge almost legendary [Music] reptile the biggest and heaviest snake on earth the green andaconda its enormous size and grizzly killer habits have given it a bad reputation [Music] the flood Plains swamps and rivers east of the Andes are its home and water its element but its secretive ways mean this silent killer remains an enigma anacondas kill by literally squeezing the life out of their victims this deadly Embrace is the strongest known on Earth it's like nine people standing on your chest it may be a horrific way to die but for this scaly Predator the technique is a success constriction is one of the oldest hunting methods among snakes it's made the Anaconda a winner for at least 20 million years including today an enormous monster lives right among the people of Georgetown and they have no idea it's there it seems unlikely such large creatures could remain unnoticed but anacondas have found secret sanctuaries in the urban jungle water ditches are convenient hangout as night falls a silent killer is on the loose [Music] in fact the City offers an easy life there's plenty of food walking the streets a dog is just the right size for a snack you just have to know where to find it anacondas may have a trick to seek prey even in the dark it's thought they can sense their body heat almost every organism has its own heat signature although a snake wouldn't see a picture like that of a thermal camera it could enable it to Target victims accurately under the cover of Darkness the anaconda's deadly activities go widely unnoticed by by its human neighbors and the menu is by no means restricted to our canine friends the good thing about living near people is their livestock snakes lost their legs in the course of evolution millions of years ago but for these smooth assassins it's no disadvantage being super flexible and extraordinarily strong means no obstacle is too big or too small testing the air with its Fork tongue the Predator seeks out its prey for the chicken Escape is [Music] futile the struggle is brief as the anaconda's body winds itself around the helpless bird its Embrace becomes Tighter and Tighter until the chicken dies from [Music] asphixiation City life even offers a few comfortable if risky niches to warm up in the cool of the night a car engine must seem like a Heavenly place for an anaconda anacondas love the warmth around 28 to 35° C is ideal they tolerate a little less at night but still a warm Niche is like a magnet for them and if you're this flexible and strong nothing comes easier than getting into a cozy Nest like this it could prove a nasty surprise for its human owner as day breaks the cityscape is transformed lotus flowers enchant they were first brought to Guyana from India and have spread like wildfire in canals and ponds the land here lies below sea level so the ground drains badly and there's plenty of standing water perfect Anaconda [Music] habitat the thick forest of lotus flowers and leaves is also home to small creatures that make ideal baby food for anacondas the leaves can reach 60 cm across a perfect perch for a young Hunter this one is still less than a meter long and just a few months old but already a killer many young anacondas don't survive long there are wild cats stray dogs or simply Urban traffic to contend with but here among the Lotus the baby is safe it's these drainage canals that have allowed the giant snakes to thrive in the urban sprawl swamps and marshes used to cover this land but over the last centuries humans have turned swamp into Solid Ground land that was traditionally the anaconda's [Music] realm because it's low-lying it's exposed to the Relentless Attack Of The Sea an extensive protective wall had to be built to replace a natural buffer Coastal mangroves before humans moved in a sturdy belt of mangroves lined The Fragile Coastline shielding it from the Seas merciless assault their Tangled Roots anchor the trees trap soil and break the power of the Waves so the coastline is safe and stable surviving where Land and Sea meet they've had to find ingenious ways of reproducing red Mangrove seeds begin to germinate while still attached to the tree tree they're also buoyant and can be dispersed widely by the water eventually the seed changes its density to float vertically ready to root itself in the coastal mud and grow there are usually only three or four different tree species here but they support one of the most productive and complex ecosystems on Earth [Music] mangr thrive in sweltering conditions rooted in choking mud and tolerate salt levels that would kill ordinary plants they line coastlines and esteres where the salt content decreases even anacondas can survive here we tend to think of anacondas lurking in Inland swamps yet here they are right in the thick of the Tangled Mangrove Roots where the river meets the sea everyone here has to be exceptionally tolerant to an Ever Changing environment twice a day the tide floods the mangroves then leaves them high and dry it triggers a changing of the guards a different set of animals now emerges crabs come out of hiding and Patrol the roots a young spectacled Cayman squatches through the mud looking for food unaware he's being watched the killer Waits patiently for the perfect moment to strike and anaconda's hunting success depends on Split Second timing and speed [Music] caught in the snake's deadly coils the last breath is squeezed out of the cayman's body where mangr have given way to the unquenchable human thirst for terraferma and new landscape emerges sugar cane plantations it's a different sort of forest with a different bunch of residents but since the fields are left largely undisturbed for months at a time it draws a sizable crowd of creatures and yet again where there's food there are anacondas there's plenty of choice even a quick- legged iguana is a target distracted by food it lets its vigilance slide a fatal error death comes quickly but eating the prize is a slow Affair even a small meal like this takes around 30 minutes to [Music] swallow but life in the fields is a double-edged sword for the Anaconda during Harvest Time Everything Changes the fields are set on fire to burn dry leaves and flush out unwanted [Applause] Critters miles of lush green go up in smoke animals desperately try to get away from the hellish Inferno but many succumb to the [Applause] flames the anaconda's cumbersome bodies are sluggish and awkward on land too slow to escape the fire were it not for the numerous drainage [Applause] ditches they can sit out the blaze safe in their water world so our preconception of anacondas as terrifying swamp Specialists is playing wrong they're in fact extremely versatile and secretive even in the anaconda's traditional home ranges on the Savannah the extremes of wet and dry seasons force them to be adaptable during the wet season the Savannah is flooded and Lush supporting a rich diversity of life giant Amazon water lies dot the water they are native to the shallow Waters of the Amazon basin and boast dramatic Flowers 40 cm across although the leaves are delicate they can easily support this young 20 kilo Anaconda [Music] a network of strong Airfield ribs supports each Leaf they can carry weights of 45 kilos tough pointy spikes keep fish at Bay it's a perfect perch the skittish youngster can disappear into the water at a moment's notice but this watery Eden is only temporary the dry season puts a brutal end to it and life without water is Unthinkable for an [Music] anaconda some get going as soon as the water levels fall this Anaconda is seeking shelter in a damp mud hole to wait out the return of the [Music] Rings others leave the parched heat in search of water they migrate to wetter climes for the duration of the dry season but as the last pools dry up progress becomes increasingly difficult caked in mud this Anaconda is effectively blind raising her body and flicking her fork tongue the giant snake gathers sense when the tongue is pulled back it skims the sensitive Jacobson's organ on the roof of her mouth which analyzes the information and helps her find her way her journey is fraught with dangers bushfires are frequent and the monster snake's massive body is not built for Speed on dry [Music] land her situation is precarious only the lucky can escape this merciless place [Music] but despite the serious hurdles in her way this Anaconda is rewarded for her efforts she finally finds relief in a permanent water hole she's found a place to survive the dry season but when the rains return she'll find her way back to the newly flooded Savannah for now the sun continues to ruthlessly beat down on the Savannah and even the last reserves of water disappear an anaconda now caught out on the parched Plains is in a dire situation the largest anacondas are slow and sluggish on land it means traveling far is out of the question over 6 M long and weighing in at more than 100 kilos this Anaconda is a true monster but she's Fallen victim to the dry season's Onslaught even a majestic Predator like this has its weaknesses the Relentless heat of the sun takes its [Music] toll but could this anaconda's own colossal size have helped seal [Music] fate a huge feast like this soon attracts [Music] visitors Nature's waste disposal [Music] units as they squabble over the best bits and pick away the flesh they expose what may have been the giant snakes downfall her skeleton an anaconda's endless thin and flexible rows of ribs provide a very delicate scaffold for such a heavy body it allows them to be extremely stretchy and flexible but could it also mean that on land very large anacondas might be crushed to death by their own enormous body [Music] weight the anaconda's lungs and vital organs stretch along almost a quarter of her length so could a heavy body make breathing virtually impossible in other words do very large anacondas need to live in permanent water to support their Hefty bodies could water availability limit an anaconda's size in fact the largest anacondas don't live on the Savannah with its tough seasonal climate they live in the rivers dissecting the rainforest where they're not dictated to by the seasons these massive animals need water that's just right enough to support their heavy bodies and accessible river banks to bask in the [Music] Sun [Music] arranging their bulk in coils helps support their own weight the forest and its rivers offer Rich pickings for an anaconda as opportunists they'll eat anything they can overpower the sheer diversity of life here is [Music] staggering including [Music] competitors and [Music] enemies out here on the river the hunter can quickly become the hunted even a predator as mighty as the Anaconda has to keep her wits about her whether on dry [Music] land or in the water the rivers are filled with fish of all colors and sizes they can also be on an anaconda's [Music] menu fish are relatively easy prey since they have few extremities that could make them tough to [Music] swallow but the water is far from a one-sided hunting ground several types of piranha Patrol the rivers up to 45 cm long the black piranha is one of the [Music] biggest but the real danger lurks below a redtail catfish stalks the murky Waters looking for prey up to 1 and 1/2 m in length and weighing in at around 50 kilos it's a force to be reckoned with it's not a fussy eater both live and dead fish are welcome snacks anything that dares to swim by is gobbled up even a small Anaconda can't mount a serious defense against this monster a lookout position above the water is also not as secure as it might seem in these parts letting your concentration slip could be the last mistake you'll ever make black cayman roam the waters up to 6 M long and weighing around 300 kilos they are the biggest living members of the alligator family this is the largest predator in South America Guyana boasts one of the biggest populations of large black cayman over 3 and a half m in length there is a strict hierarchy of work the bigger the Cayman the higher the rank their biting power is immense enough to crush bones and sever Limbs and if need be their powerful Tails can even propel them far enough out of the water to snatch prey from its perge [Music] strong armored skin protects their backs from Attack black cayman are built like reinforced submarines formidable tough and well armed compared to this river monster the smooth soft body of an anaconda doesn't stand a chance the anaconda's Jaws aligned with more than a 100 rows of needlelike backward-facing teeth designed to strike and keep hold of prey long enough to put its deadly coils to use the black cayman's teeth on the other hand are strong crushing and ripping TOs perfect for hunting and killing mammals like caparas Capi baras are as much at home on land as in the water but as soon as they enter the river they attract unwanted [Applause] attention with enormous power and lightning speed the black cayman snatches its victim and if one Hunter struggles to shred its prey others soon join in to rip and tug at the corpse a necessary collaboration as Caymans can neither bite off pieces nor chew them rolling their muscle packed bodies soon tears even the toughest hide into manageable chunks the cayman's hunting and feeding methods and their surprising teamwork and group hierarchy set them apart from their Anaconda competitors it may seem like a free for- all but there are strict rules only the largest and most dominant Kates get the best bids all that's left of the hapless capibara are just a few morsels for some lucky SC [Applause] scavengers the Anaconda is a completely different Hunter her weapons are not her teeth but her muscular body but she too has a taste for caparas the largest rodents on Earth they're strict grass eaters this is where their long sharp teeth come in allowing them to sever even the toughest stems it makes them as formidable and dangerous as a rat the size of a Rottweiler caparas spend much of their time in water so they're excellent swimmers and can dive for long periods but anacondas always approach with stealth once caught there's little the capibara can do to get away even its teeth are useless weapons [Music] now [Music] and in contrast to the Cayman an anaconda needs no help to devour its prey sharing is unheard [Music] of but it takes time eating such a large meal in one sitting is a challenge it can take up to 8 hours still it's worth the effort a single large meal can sustain her for months Gana is aptly named it means land of many Waters and reflects the dense network of large and small rivers from the highest points they Plunge 2800 M down towards the Atlantic in a dizzying array of waterfalls and Rapids black Caymans don't Venture Beyond The Falls but they are no barriers for the Anaconda the pools are rich in fish and attract other Predators too giant otter these 2 m fish Specialists aren't put off by the Rapids even the clumsy youngsters efforts are crowned with success yet for now they remain under the adults watchful eyes and since the black cment is absent this is where the smaller and less powerful spectacle Cayman thrives it still grows to over 2 m in length and is not to be trifled with this is their hunting ground catfish paku and piranha populate the rapids The Hunters just have to wait until a careless fish comes within striking range just above the falls the waters change and the Rapids disappear being more adaptable than its black cayman competitor the Anaconda has also conquered these up River locations a silent killer makes her way along the top of the falls where the water scoured rocks provide good cover up here where the black cayman is no threat the Anaconda is Undisputed champion a showdown between two ancient Killers these two Predators have proven their worth for millions of years using entirely different strategies the anaconda's thin skinned and agile flexibility versus the cayman's tough body armor and brute strength The Versatile Anaconda also has relatives living in the forest along inside the river the boa constrictor is one of them it's much more aggressive and will strike it anything deemed a threat it attacks with such speed that the action can only be captured in slow motion it might seem small compared to its massive cousin but the boa constrictor is a large heavy boded snake big B ones can weigh in at 27 kilos a formidable Predator iguanas are on this angry snake's menu this one i' better tread carefully just like the Anaconda the boa kills by constriction usually on the forest floor and there are other constrictors here they live 30 or even 60 m above ground high up in the forest [Music] canopy this habitat is poles apart from life on the ground or in the water and requires a different skill set this is another Anaconda relative a stunning emerald tree Bower its spectacular green coloring develops after about 10 months leaving it incredibly well camouflaged for a life in the trees its body is is like a single 2 m long muscle and allows it to effortlessly Glide between branches it can suspend more than half of its body to bridge seemingly insurmountable gaps the emerald freeo seeks out its prey through scent as well as by sensing body heat the thermal receptors are clearly visible around its jaws it means the killer can strike with pinpoint [Music] accuracy just like its relatives it swallows its prey whole but because its metabolism is extremely slow it needs to feed much less frequently once every few months is [Music] [Music] enough in this impenetrable jungle rivers are often the only breaks in the dense canopy this is where enough sunlight reaches the ground to warm it up and anacondas need the sun's heat to regulate their body temperature Cayman are no exception they too have to partake in the Basking ritual clinging closely to the warm rock this [ __ ] absorbs all the Heat it can from the ground a thermal imaging camera clearly shows how the Rock and the sun heat up its body the yellow zones are the warmest for anacondas that don't live near the large rivers but further in the forest the permanent shade on the ground poses a serious problem the sun's life-giving Heat is absorbed by the forest canopy way above the [Music] ground the forest has a layered canopy with very tall trees reaching up to 60 M and 15 to 45 M High trees below so very little light filters through to the ground there are few places for an anaconda to warm up most of the time the only way to get to the light and warmth is [Music] up incredibly even anacondas over 4 m in length are able to climb trees nimbly supported by their powerful [Music] muscles up in the canopy temperatures are a sweltering 35 to 40° CSUS the giant snake can now bask in the sun until it has reached its perfect body [Music] temperature it can take hours because its body is slow to heat up the giant snake is ready for action around [Music] 30° an iguana has the same idea it keeps a weary eye out for danger while the spikes on its back are for intimidation but although it might look formidable and dangerous it is a harmless vegetarian a boa constrictor has the lizard in her sight too late a daring leap into the water it can fall up to 15 M and land without a scratch the Iguana had obviously already warmed up enough to react with lightning speed the bower will have to find another meal if it ever gets the chance preoccupied with its quest for food the boowa hasn't realized it too is a [Music] target anacondas have a taste for snakes nothing's off the [Music] menu the larger and more powerful Anaconda definitely has the upper hand in this [Music] Jewel but swallowing a large snake up in the trees is anything but easy with surprising agility and strength the massive Anaconda battles to keep control but once caught in her hooked teeth her meal is moving neither in or out success at last the meal is lost but at least her Jaws are free in spite of their killer reputation anacondas are not very aggressive in fact the biggest ones are the most peaceful some are reputed to be about 8 m long it seems that as an anaconda gets bigger its confidence also grows it no longer needs to be aggressive to intimidate enemies at this size she has nothing to [Music] fear the largest anacondas are all [Music] females males reach no more than 3 m in length and the only time they all meet is during The Mating Season where males are thought to follow pheromone trails to track down a female up to 13 males can join a single female in spectacular mating [Music] balls [Music] it's like a slow motion wrestling match between the males for the chance to [Music] mate they'll stay like this for around 4 [Music] weeks courtship and mating are entirely unaggressive Affairs patience and persistence are what count here but things can change quickly afterwards that's when the female Anaconda can develop a taste for her own kind she might devour one of her unlucky suitors with good reason she won't feed at all during the 7mon gestation period and lose up to 35% of her body weight so a quick lowrisk snack following mating could be a last chance to bulk up before the long fasting period [Music] ahead during her pregnancy the female appears to avoid potentially harmful encounters even a boa constrictor is given a wide birth she has no interest in feeding now the Boer is understandably tense its tail betrays its agitation in a head to head it would certainly be the losing party all it can do is sit tight and wait for the Anaconda to [Applause] pass along the Riverbanks of guana's miles of Virgin rainforest female anacondas sometimes get together and bask in the sun on mass for animals that usually keep themselves to themselves these are odd assemblies what's the reason behind these strange Anaconda GTO togethers are these females pregnant hoping to find a little safety in numbers or are they all related a sort of generational family [Music] meeting social living is not something we usually associate with these monster snakes but then the Anaconda has proven to be a mysterious creature that continues to pose conundrums and yield surprises a giant repti that terrifies and enthralls in equal [Music] measures the Sandy river banks are also a magnet for other creatures places to congregate to drink and wash and to procreate other ancient creatures haul themselves from the water giant South American Turtles they drag their cumbersome bodies up the steep slope with only one goal in mind to lay their eggs in the sand it's labor intensive and risky the mothers cover their nests and leave their babies to their own devices [Applause] [Music] but there are thieves about vultures have a taste for turtle EGS and know just where to find them a wasted effort for a mother turtle and a mini tragedy for the babies that will never see the light of [Music] day months have passed since the anacondas mating period but unlike so many other animals the Anaconda hasn't lost a single unborn baby to wouldbe predators the Anaconda is different to most reptiles rather than laying her eggs in a nest exposed to Marauders and at the mercy of the elements the mother carries her young with [Music] her now 7 months on it is time for her babies to [Music] emerge incredibly she now gives birth to live young there could be over 80 of them each measuring around 1 m in length perfect miniature replicas of their giant mother the babies are born ready to look after themselves despite their mother's cannibalistic Tendencies they stay near her for some time without running the risk of becoming her next meal it seems the Anaconda does all it can to give her young the best start in life life far from being the Primitive swamp monster of our imagination the Anaconda appears to be a very conscious caring and clever giant a Survivor from another age whose winning design has allowed her to Triumph even in the face of extreme [Music] adversity [Music]

Channel: Go Wild

Views: 293,815

Keywords: orf universum, documentary, blue chip, natural history, secrets of nature, planet earth, wildlife, free documentary, watch full documentary, nature films, wildlife films, go wild, nature, natura

Id: 0Kt2SyAKRyI

Length: 52min 5sec (3125 seconds)

Published: Wed Dec 20 2023