Jaclyn Jaycox - Anacondas

What is green, has no legs, and is as long as a bus? A green anaconda! These snakes spend time in riverswaiting for food. They are huge. They can eat animals as big as cows whole!

Anacondas are a type of They cant control their body heat. If its cold outside, they are cold. If its hot outside, they are hot. There arefour kinds of these snakes. They are the green, yellow, dark-spotted, andBolivian anacondas.

Anacondas live in areas. They get a lot of rain. These snakes are great swimmers.They spend most of their time in water. They live in swamps and rivers.

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Anacondas can also move on land. They live in grasslands. They climb trees. They hang from the branches todry off. They also rest in empty holes called

The green anaconda is well known. It is the heaviest snake. It is also one of the longest. These snakes can weighmore than 550 pounds (250 kilograms). Thats as much as a lion! They grow up to 30 feet (9 meters) long. Females are usually much larger than males.

The yellow, dark-spotted, andBolivian anacondas are smaller. Theygrow to be about 9 feet (2.7 m) long.

Green anacondas are dark green.Other types can be brown or yellow. They have black or brown spots. They blend in with the rivers. They can hide in rain forests. Doing this protectsthem from animals that hunt them.It makes the snakes hard to see.

Anacondas have thick bodies. Like most other reptiles, anacondas havehard pieces of skin on their bodies. They are called Their eyes and nostrils are on top of their heads. This helps them hunt. They can keep their heads above the water. They look for animals to eat.

These snakes have sharp teeth.Their jaws are stretchy. They can swallow big animals. They can eatones much bigger than their heads!

Anacondas can eat a lot. They eatbirds, mice, fish, turtles, and other They also eat animals such as pigs, deer, and even jaguars. Females might even eat small male anacondas!

These snakes are They sleep during the day. They hunt at night. They hunt in the water more than on land. They dont move as well on land.

Anacondas dont chase their prey.They wait for it to come near. They grab their prey. They bite the animal. They hold it with their powerful jaws.Then they wrap around the prey. They squeeze. The animal cant breathe,and it dies.