What is known and what remains to be clarified about the death of anaconda Ana Julia, in Bonito | Mato Grosso do Sul

Giant anaconda is found in a putrefactive state and must undergo forensic examination

According to the PMA, the anaconda was found dead by wildlife documentary filmmaker Cristian Dimitrius, who has been filming snakes in the region for 10 years. He reported the case on social media.

The anaconda, known as Ana Julia, is the same one that went viral in a video shared by Dutch biologist Freek Vonk. The identification of the snake was also confirmed by Juliana Terra, an anaconda specialist and researcher at the University of São Paulo (USP), who had been studying the snake for 8 years.

See below what is known and what remains to be clarified about the case:

• How did the anaconda die?
• What happens if an environmental crime is found?
• What will happen to Ana Julia’s body?
• What did Bonito city hall say?

After reports on social media, a PMA team traveled to Bonito (MS), where it was found that the animal was dead and in a state of putrefaction. During initial surveys, agents did not locate any holes or signs that the snake had been shot.

First, the animal will undergo an examination, which must determine the cause of death.

If there was someone responsible for the anaconda’s death, he could be held responsible for an environmental crime, which carries a prison sentence that varies from 6 months to a year, in addition to having to pay a fine that can reach R$500,000.

After being examined, the anaconda will be taken to the capital Campo Grande, where it will undergo an embalming process, a methodology that preserves the appearance and characteristics of the animal.

“Subsequently, it will be part of the collection of taxidermied animals of the Environmental Military Police and will be part of the exhibitions we hold”, said the PMA commander, Colonel José Carlos Rodrigues.

In a statement, the city of Bonito lamented the anaconda’s death and said it would monitor the investigation into the case.

Read the note in full below:

“The City of Bonito expresses its total repudiation of what happened with the Anaconda ‘Ana Julia’ in our municipality. The relevance of an animal of this size in our areas shows how balanced our environment is, because an environment to support a top-of-the-line animal , like an almost 7 meter anaconda, needs to be at least balanced and this personal attitude, from someone who commits an act like this, is totally despicable and goes against everything we work for in favor of the environment. So we hope that competent authorities are able to identify the perpetrators and punish the guilty parties”.