Expert report rules out violent death of giant anaconda Ana Julia

The death of the anaconda Ana Julia, found dead on March 24 by tourist guides on the banks of the Formoso River in Beautiful (MS) was not caused by humans and in a violent way, points out the expert report. There was even a suspicion that the snake had been shot, which was not confirmed by tests.

It is not possible, however, to say that it was a natural death, according to biologist and researcher Juliana Terra, an anaconda specialist, who has been monitoring Ana Julia for around eight years. For example, analysis of the collected material will still be carried out to determine the presence of contaminants. It does not rule out, for example, possible contamination caused by humans, without intention.”

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The veterinarian and Civil Police expert Maristela Melo was in Bonito, according to the press office, and made incisions on the animal’s body for a more detailed analysis. The specialist found “some internal bleeding”, but “due to the anaconda’s advanced state of decomposition, it was not possible to determine whether or not there was any pathology”.

“We carried out detailed examinations of the animal’s entire skin and only a few non-recent scratches were found on the head, which is very common in anacondas, which are predatory animals,” recalled Maristela.

The snake’s remains were taken to the Criminalistics Institute in Campo Grande, so that additional tests could be carried out, including imaging tests.

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X-ray examinations carried out on the snake did not identify lodged projectiles or broken bones. Thus, the expertise ruled out violent death or death from external causes, said the director of the Mato Grosso do Sul Criminalistics Institute, criminal expert Emerson Lopes dos Reis.

Eight years of monitoring

Affectionately named Ana Julia and called Queen of Rio Formoso, the snake was, for researchers, the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) most famous in Brazil.

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It is not possible to specify Ana Julia’s age, but she was seen in Rio Formoso at least 15 years ago. Due to the decomposition and examinations carried out, the snake will not be stuffed.

Ana Julia was part of the Sucuri Project developed by Juliana Terra almost 10 years ago. “She was a magnificent animal, she already knew her routine, her life, very well. She had a very well-defined pattern, she always liked to shelter in the same places, to sunbathe in certain places on the river bank,” she reports.

‘It was a long time watching her. We have a scientific objective, but we also develop affection for the animal. Now, unfortunately, there is no longer Ana Júlia to monitor,” added the researcher.

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Ana Terra is a herpetologist (specialist in reptiles and amphibians). The project she coordinates began 10 years ago and aims to understand the natural history of green anacondas (Eunectes murinus) free-living, that is, reproduction, feeding, activity, use of the environment, behavior, movement, in addition to evaluating the influence of climate change on the distribution and risk of extinction of anaconda species.

New species was described by Dutch researcher

AnaJulia has already starred in records by researcher Freek Vonk, who identified in February a new species of green anaconda in the Amazon. Vonk dove with the snake and shared images of the six-and-a-half meter serpent on social media.

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A study published in the scientific journal MDPI Diversity in February points out that green anacondaspopularly known as anacondas, previously cataloged as a single species (Eunectes murinus), actually appear to be a group composed of two distinct genetic types. Around 14 researchers from nine countries were involved in the work.