Hearing someone scream “snake!”
can cause people to panic.
And when you’re in the shallow, murky rivers
of South America,
home to the deadly anaconda,
you realize this is
not a garden snake coming towards you.
It's a green anaconda.
These are not small snakes.
It's often said that
green anacondas can grow up to
9 m in length (30 ft,)
and they can weigh as much as
225 kg (550 lb).
Anacondas' prey ranges
from 10% of their body weight
all the way up to 146%.
It only takes seconds for an anaconda
to wrap around its prey,
and squeeze it to death.
And no matter how strong you are,
the snake can create up to
62,053 KPas (9,000 psi) of pressure.
Anacondas have a legendary status
as man eaters.
So if you're going into anaconda territory,
here's some tips to help you survive.
If an anaconda is nearby,
watch its face.
An anaconda shows
its predatory behaviour
by flicking its tongue.
And if it bites you,
do not yank yourself away,
or try to forcefully pull yourself
out of its mouth.
An anaconda’s inner teeth
curve backwards to hold onto its prey.
So if you try to pull out
of the snake's mouth right away,
it can cause serious injuries.
Getting out in this situation will be
much easier if you have someone
else to help you.
Ask them to slowly open
the anaconda’s mouth.
As they do that,
push your hand,
or whatever body part is being bitten,
further inside the snake’s mouth.
This will get it off the snake's fangs.
Then, you can get out of the snake's mouth
without causing even more injuries.
You might feel safer if you wear clothing
that's harder for these snakes
to bite through.
This includes thick gloves,
sturdy shoes,
and thick clothing.
But what if you set out
to become snake bait?
Paul Rosolie, a naturalist,
agreed to be swallowed whole
by an anaconda for a TV special.
They thought the snake
might regurgitate him.
And if nececessary, they could cut him free.
He wore a special carbon fiber suit
designed to withstand the snake's fangs,
constriction powers, and digestion,
so he would survive the ordeal.
The suit was doused in pig blood
to make it more appealing.
But when Paul approached the anaconda,
the snake was afraid
and tried to escape.
So, Rosolie provoked the snake.
It eventually attacked,
swallowed him head first,
and began squeezing.
He was inside the snake for an hour.
Then, Rosolie was worried
that the anaconda
was going to break his arm.
He cried out in fear and pain,
and asked the crew to rescue him.
They did.
If an anaconda grips
the middle of your body,
do not exhale.
It's like a signal to the snake.
Every time you exhale,
the snake will squeeze tighter.
That could prevent you
from getting your breath back.
Anacondas like shallow, murky rivers.
So, stay on land,
or get yourself to land as fast as possible
when anacondas are around.
They're great swimmers,
but they're not fast slitherers on land.
Run towards land,
and keep running until you get
as far away as possible.
You couldn't get away fast enough.
An anaconda put the bite on you,
and it has no intention of letting you go.
Remember, its weakest spots are its tail
and its eyes.
Go on the offense.
Open wide,
and bite the snake’s tail
as hard as you can.
It will cause the anaconda
tremendous pain,
and hopefully the snake will let go.
Use your fingers as aggressively
as you can,
and poke its eyes.
Eyes are a crucial organ
that these huge snakes will try to preserve.
The truth is,
a human is not an anaconda's ideal prey.
Its average meal
weighs around 18 kg (40 lb).
But if you find yourself being attacked
by another predator,
remember, we have you covered
right here on How to Survive.