Francesca Capozzi The anaconda Ana Julia dies. The specimen belonged to the largest snake species in the world discovered only recently and had become a celebrity thanks to a spectacular video portraying it
@freekvonk/Instagram
In a development that has both shocked and saddened the scientific community, researchers have had to announce the untimely demise of what was recently discovered to be the world’s largest snake species. The Northern green anaconda, Eunectes akayima, distinct from its green anaconda cousin, was found dead, mere months after its discovery.
The snake, affectionately named Ana Julia, was a true giant of the natural world.
Ana Julia: a colossal discovery
Measuring an impressive 6.3 meters in length, Ana Julia had already become a celebrity in scientific circles and beyond. Indigenous communities had long spoken of even larger specimens, but it was Ana Julia’s capture on film during the filming of the documentary Pole to Pole With Will Smith that truly brought her into the limelight.
Several anacondas were measured during the expedition, but it was Ana Julia’s breathtaking underwater footage that cemented her fame.
Her body was recovered in Bonito, Brazil, with Professor Freek Vonk, who had swum alongside her for the documentary, expressing “enormous pain in our hearts” at the news of her passing.
Vonk took to Instagram to share a tribute to the iconic serpent. Brazilian police have since launched an investigation to determine the cause of her death.
The mystery of Ana Julia’s death
Initial speculations suggested foul play, with gunshot wounds suspected as the cause of death. However, further updates have indicated that Ana Julia likely died of natural causes. Despite the tragic outcome, Vonk believes Ana Julia’s death was not in vain.
The global attention garnered by her passing has heightened awareness of nature’s fragility, thanks to this remarkable creature. “These types of extremely large and old specimens are extremely vulnerable,” Vonk wrote, echoing the sentiments of his fellow researchers.
The necessity for improved knowledge about the species and its ecosystem was starkly highlighted, along with the ongoing threats of habitat loss and human conflict that anacondas and other species face.
Source: freekvonk/Instagram
