Giant Anaconda Ambushes Crocodile Underwater and Swallows It Whole

Giant Anaconda Ambushes Crocodile Underwater and Swallows It Whole

The anaconda, one of the most feared non-venomous snakes in the world, is renowned as the star of a seminal Ice Cube movie and a dodgy pop song, but its status as the biggest, heaviest man-eating snake in the world is one that often makes people think it’s a bit slow. Today’s video puts the lie to that myth.

As you blokes and blokettes know, we often feature a good old animal dust-up, a beastie throw-down, a fauna-based fracas here at Ozzyman.com. The perennial wimp of these battles seems to be the humble caiman.

That caiman is so screwed...Credit: Roaring Earth

That caiman is so screwed…Credit: Roaring Earth

This little cousin of the crocodile seems to get dicked on by predators on a regular basis. Today, we see the brutal savagery of a large anaconda in full predatory pomp. The colossal serpent, big enough to put Mandingo himself to shame, is first seen making its way into the water where it quickly blends into its surroundings and freezes, slightly poised, ready to make short work of the next caiman that happens to come its way.

Sure enough, a caiman slips into the water and doesn’t even have a chance to look down at the vaguely anaconda-shaped branch jutting from the riverbed. The ophidian giant just explodes into action. Despite its size, it moves like a f***ing whip. The caiman has no chance. It’s gone. It’s entered sh** creek without a paddle and it’s only going to end up in one place: Destination F***ed.

Like a spring-loaded crack of a tea-towel. Bang! Credit: Roaring Earth

Like a spring-loaded crack of a tea-towel. Bang! Credit: Roaring Earth

Then, as Roald Dahl would say, comes the rather grisly bit. The anaconda, the largest member of the boa constrictor family, constricts the shit out of the caiman. Contrary to popular belief though, that doesn’t mean it crushes it. Nope, it simply applies enough pressure to stop the caiman from breathing in. After that, every time the caiman panics and gulps for air, the snake constricts a little more and gradually suffocates the crocodilian.

Have a go at the anaconda as it swallows the bloody thing whole. It’s a really remarkable feat, but bloody hell, those legs have gotta cause at least a little indigestion, right?

The constriction diet: it's the next big thing in trendy food fads. Credit: Roaring Earth

The constriction diet: it’s the next big thing in trendy food fads. Credit: Roaring Earth

Anyway, I’m not sure if that’s more horrible than death from envenomation, but it’s pretty bloody nasty all the same. Thank god our scrub pythons don’t have the girth these anacondas do. I’m not sure how I’d feel about seeing our salties getting eaten…

H/T: Roaring Earth.