If Not Surgically Treated, the Anaconda Would Have Died After Swallowing This!
The Anaconda, or South American Python (genus Eunectes), is one of the largest snake species in the world, capable of reaching lengths of up to 9 meters, comparable to the reticulated python (Python reticulatus) and weighing as much as 250 kg.
Because they prefer wetlands and humid rainforests as their habitat, it is not uncommon for humans to encounter this giant creature in such areas.
In February 2014, in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, a crew of workers was constructing a new road to improve transportation access. However, the challenging terrain and the difficulty of transporting materials due to a shortage of trucks, along with the constant dangers of the rainforest, significantly slowed down the construction progress.
One day, while the workers were using an excavator to clear a path, one of them suddenly spotted a massive snake slithering out from the bushes. Before their eyes was an Anaconda. Unlike any other snake, this Anaconda was the largest they had ever seen!
What is that Strange “Tumor”?
Still shaken by the sight of the planet’s largest creature, they quickly noticed something unusual about the snake: a gigantic tumor.
In reality, Anacondas are quite shy and tend to avoid humans, so they usually flee quickly when they see people. However, this snake did not. It moved very slowly and occasionally opened its mouth as a defensive gesture.
The snake moves very slowly, occasionally opening its mouth in defense.
Realizing that road construction in this area would inevitably lead to encounters with forest creatures, one of the workers understood that this snake was in trouble. It might be slithering out to seek help.
One worker approached the snake despite the warnings from his colleagues. Strangely, the snake seemed so in pain because of the tumor that it lay still, appearing immobile.
The snake seemed so in pain because of the tumor that it lay still, appearing immobile.
Immediately, the crew contacted a local veterinarian. When a veterinarian arrived to examine the snake and determine the cause of the tumor, no one could believe their eyes.
Upon arriving at the scene, the veterinarian stated that the snake was likely pregnant and might be preparing to give birth in the middle of the newly dug road. To confirm this suspicion, the veterinarian assigned the workers the dangerous task of moving the snake so that he could examine the tumor.
Shortly after, the veterinarian decided that this Anaconda needed immediate surgery because there was an object lodged in its stomach entrance. This object was something the snake had swallowed that could not be digested.
The veterinarian temporarily injected the snake with anesthesia and asked the crew to move it to a flatter area.
This was not the veterinarian’s first time performing such a procedure, but he was still very anxious because, at that moment, he was not in a clinic but in the middle of the jungle. Anything could happen here.
With utmost precision and care, the veterinarian performed surgery on the snake and removed the “tumor.” When they looked inside, everyone was astonished. It was a plastic ice cooler!
Ice cooler.
As the veterinarian was puzzled about why the snake had swallowed this object, the crew began to understand the situation.
This ice cooler was used to store ice for preserving most perishable foods. Due to the difficult and distant roads, they had placed the meat in this plastic container. However, the hot weather had caused the meat to spoil and emit a foul odor.
It is very likely that the Anaconda smelled the meat and mistook it for a dead animal, leading it to swallow the entire cooler.
After removing the cooler, the veterinarian quickly stitched up the incision for the snake, hoping it could survive this ordeal. Once the anesthesia wore off, the snake began to stir and slowly slither back into the jungle.
In an effort to conserve the Anaconda species, the veterinarian implanted a tiny tracking chip in the snake to ensure it would fully recover after this incident.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are four species of Anaconda classified in South America due to the potential threats they face. This is because some areas within their range are losing their habitat (due to agricultural activities reducing wetland environments) and due to hunting.
