New Anaconda Species Said to be Largest Ever Found
upstart writes:
New anaconda species said to be largest ever found during filming of Will Smith docuseries:
A giant anaconda species thought to be the largest in the world has been captured deep in the Amazon of Ecuador by a team of scientists from The University of Queensland.
The group of scientists, led by professor Bryan Fry, uncovered the nearly 10-million-year-old species with help from the Indigenous Huaorani people while filming "Pole to Pole with Will Smith," a National Geographic series streaming on Disney+ and hosted by the Oscar winner.
"The size of these magnificent creatures was incredible," Fry said in a news release. "One female anaconda we encountered measured an astounding 6.3 meters (20.8 feet) long."
The invitation by Huaorani Chief Penti Baihua to enter the Baihuaeri Huaorani Territory in the Ecuadorian Amazon was "one of only a handful granted since the tribe's first contact in 1958," Fry told USA TODAY. "Our team received a rare invitation - to explore the region and collect samples from a population of anacondas."
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