Iguanas

Anacondas are members of the Boidae family of reptiles and spend most of their time in rivers and swamps of the Amazon Rainforest in South America which makes them excellent swimmers and are capable of holding their breath for around 15 minutes.

General information!

Anacondas Scientific classification.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Boidae

Subfamily: Boinae

Genus: Eunectes

The question what is the biggest snake can be confusing, the biggest as far as girth (largest being measured at 44 inches or 1,1176 m) is the Green Anaconda, on average anacondas are more then 20 ft (6.09 m) long with and average weight of 300+ pounds (136.08+ kg) many reaching lengths of 29ft ( 8.83 m) or more, with a weight of over 550 lbs ( 249.48 kg), in terms of length then and only then will the Reticulated Python exceed the anaconda, the longest python was measured at 33 ft ( 10.05 m) but even this python can't match the total mass of the anaconda.

Anacondas are members of the Boidae family of reptiles and spend most of their time in rivers and swamps of the Amazon Rainforest in South America which makes them excellent swimmers and are capable of holding their breath for around 15 minutes, female anacondas are generally 3 to 4 times larger then the males and bear their young live and are called "Neonates", the number of young varies, some have produced 100 babies, but the average is between 20 to 40 babies which are about 24 inches (0.6 m) long, they stay with the mother for about and hour then leave to be on their own. Diet consist of (depending on the size of the anaconda, the larger the snake the larger the prey) large/small rodents like capybaras, also pigs, caiman, jaguars, deer, dogs, birds even fish and is acquired by ambushing with a quick strike, 100 rear-facing sharp teethhold the prey while suffocating it with constriction, (the anaconda is so powerful it generally crushes it's prey) then swallowing it whole and by using it's muscles in a rhythmic fashion it works the food toward its digestive area, the digestion of the anaconda is very slow thereby allowing it to survive without food for well over a year.

Anacondas have around a 10 to 12 year year life span in the wild, in captivity some have reached 20 + years, the biggest threat to it is man and loss of their habitat.

There are many different species of iguanas. But, let us assume you are asking about the best known. and often sold as a pet, green iguana (Iguana iguana), and about their "natural" predators (rather than humans, house cats, dogs, and Old World rats). One big hint is that green iguanas are very prolific. Species that are relatively prolific tend to be "on the menu" for lots of other species.

In their natural habitat (mostly in or near trees) throughout tropical parts of Mexico, Central and South America, and southern islands of the Caribbean, iguanas have more predators that you can count. Birds such as hawks, owls, herons, egrets and even kingfishers all take small iguanas. Larger raptors, including harpy eagles, can take even the largest iguanas, as can larger snakes, especially boa constrictors. Snakes of all sizes are probably among the more important predators of iguanas.

There also mammalian predators, such as coatimundi, raccoon, and peccary, which all eagerly take small iguanas but really specialize in digging up and wiping out eggs still incubating where ever the female iguana buried and abandoned the nest. Rats, especially exotic species first introduced by explorers from Europe, are also major nest predators. And, once a nest is disturbed and a few eggs broken to create an attractive scent, ants and other insects may finish it off.

Mexico, and Central and South America have several native cats that share range and habitat with green iguanas: especially the jaguar, ocelot, margay, and jaguarundi, and probably pumas as well. These cats are all opportunistic predators well-equipped to deal with iguanas, especially if they spot one on the ground.

Iguanas spend most of their time in trees, and they prefer to rest in branches over water so they can drop from trees into water or, if surprised while on the ground, run to water to escape predators. This can backfire, iguanas forced to dash into water may encounter a caiman, crocodile, anaconda or any of a host of other aquatic snakes, and even a predatory fish. Remember, iguanas start out weighing about an ounce, so even a good-sized bass would be pretty pleased to encounter a young iguana as it swims away from some other predator.

Iguanas defend themselves from all this predation in several ways. First and most importantly, as mentioned in opening paragraph, they make lots of replacements. All iguanas, especially small iguanas, are very cryptic and good at hiding in plain sight. All they need is something green to blend in with... seldom hard to find in the jungle. Their main defense it to stick to cover (plants are both their main source of camouflage and all they really eat) and remain still, hoping you don't see them.

Big iguanas can be a bit less cautious, but they are also tough customers, with armor-like skin, a strong bite and sharp teeth (for slicing through the tough leaves they eat), very sharp claws (picking up an iguana who is not pleased is even harder than taking an unwilling cat to the vet), and they will lash at a potential attacker with their long, hard tail. This smarts, but is more startling than dangerous.

Still, as we still see leaves on the trees, we must assume most iguanas do get eaten by something. Now that escaped and released pet green iguanas are well established in South Florida, they are also having to deal with our resident native predators (alligators, raccoons, bobcats, great white herons and American egrets, red-shouldered hawks, bass and gar). Many of our native snakes get big enough to take small iguanas.

Also, iguanas in South Florida are surely on the menu for some of our other new immigrants (boa constrictors, Burmese pythons, Nile monitors, tegus, feral cats and feral hogs). Not to mention people (there is even an iguana recipe book), and our pet cats and dogs. My own Labrador has caught at least two already, and might have eaten them if I had not confiscated them. But, for the most part, predators are in short supply in urban areas so, neighborhoods - especially with canals or waterfront (lake, ocean, or bay) are perfect iguana sanctuaries.

What eats iguanas? Nearly every other animal.