One Keeper Per Metre of Snake: Prague Zoo Moved and Measured Its Anacondas

One keeper per metre of snake. South American green anacondas are the heaviest snakes on the planet (the longest is the Asian reticulated python). The photo shows the older and larger of the males. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

“Despite their reputation, anacondas are generally calm and placid animals, and keepers can routinely enter their exhibit. During handling, transfers or measuring, however, they understandably do not know what is happening and may try to defend themselves by biting or by releasing an extremely foul-smelling secretion from glands near the tail,” says Petr Velenský, Curator of Reptiles at Prague Zoo. “The head is therefore held by the most experienced keeper, the middle of the body is supported by a pair of strong colleagues, and the tail—much to his dismay—is entrusted to the youngest member of the team,” he adds with a touch of humour.

Measuring a large snake (here the larger male) is always somewhat imprecise, as it cannot be fully straightened without risking injury. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The longest female green anaconda at Prague Zoo measures around 4 metres and weighs 82 kilograms. The longest of the Prague anacondas is a male at 420 centimetres, but he weighs only about half as much as the female. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The return of the anacondas to their display aquaterrarium. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Visitors to Prague Zoo can see three anacondas: 11-year-old siblings hatched at the zoo (male pictured) and an unrelated 14-year-old male. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The anaconda exhibit in the Feline and Reptile House, dating from 2004, has been refurbished. The most extensive renovation since 2013 took three weeks and resulted in a repaired base, new and more modern lighting, and a redesigned planting scheme. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo