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Was Will Smith’s Amazon Anaconda the Largest Ever? What Scientists Actually Measured

A 6.3-metre female northern green anaconda was measured in Ecuador during an expedition filmed for Will Smith’s National Geographic series. Genetic evidence identifies Eunectes akayima as a distinct species, while larger local reports remain unverified.

By Animalso Team 3 min read

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Scientists measured a 6.3-metre (about 20.7-foot) female northern green anaconda during an expedition in Ecuador’s Baihuaeri Waorani Territory. That is the largest verified measurement reported from this expedition—not proof that it was the largest anaconda ever seen. Local Waorani accounts describe snakes longer than 7.5 metres and weighing around 500 kilograms, but those figures remain anecdotal.

What anaconda was found on Will Smith’s show?

The snake encountered in the Amazon was a northern green anaconda, Eunectes akayima. Professor Bryan Fry of The University of Queensland led a 10-day canoe expedition with Waorani guides in the Bameno region of Ecuador’s Baihuaeri Waorani Territory. A National Geographic crew was filming Pole to Pole with Will Smith during the expedition, which is why the encounter appears connected to the program.

Will Smith was the on-screen host; the scientific work was led by Fry and the expedition team. The researchers collected samples under an invitation from the Waorani people and used genetic analysis to determine that these snakes were not simply the same species traditionally called the green anaconda.

How big was the measured snake?

The expedition’s largest recorded individual was a female measuring 6.3 metres (approximately 20.7 feet). Fry described it as the largest measured in that expedition. Live Science estimated that the female visible in the released footage appeared to be about 16–17 feet (4.9–5.2 metres). Those are different types of figures: one is a reported measurement by the research team, while the other is an estimate based on video.

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Reports of still larger animals circulate locally. Waorani accounts describe anacondas exceeding 7.5 metres and weighing roughly 500 kilograms, but no verified measurements for those reports were provided. They should not be presented as established records or combined with the 6.3-metre measurement to create one exact “largest ever” claim.

Why this is a new species, not just a giant snake

For decades, green anacondas were generally treated as one species, Eunectes murinus. Genetic sampling showed that the animals in the northern part of the Amazon basin represent a distinct species, Eunectes akayima, the northern green anaconda. The southern green anaconda retains the name Eunectes murinus.

Live Science reports that the two lineages diverged roughly 10 million years ago and differ by about 5.5% of their total DNA. The finding is therefore a taxonomic revision supported by genetics, not a claim that scientists had just discovered an unusually large individual of a previously unknown snake.

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Northern and southern green anacondas compared

Feature Northern green anaconda Southern green anaconda
Scientific name Eunectes akayima Eunectes murinus
Broad range described in the reports Northern Amazon basins Southern Amazon basins
Measured size relevant to this expedition One female measured 6.3 m (20.7 ft) Comparable measurement not stated in the expedition reports
Genetic relationship Lineage diverged from the southern species about 10 million years ago; reports cite a 5.5% total-DNA difference Southern lineage used in earlier single-species classification
Sex-related body pattern Females are larger and heavier; males are more slender Females are larger and heavier; males are more slender
Feeding and contaminant pattern Males feed at a higher trophic level, including predatory fish and caimans, and can accumulate more contaminants The cited comparison does not provide a separate exposure value
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What the discovery says about Amazon ecosystem health

Fry’s team is studying anacondas as possible indicators of ecosystem condition. Because these snakes are large predators, their bodies can reflect contaminants and changes moving through aquatic food webs.

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Heavy-metal exposure

In the comparison described by Live Science, cadmium and lead concentrations were reported as over 1,000% higher in males than females. The proposed explanation is dietary: males consume more predatory fish and caimans, placing them at a higher trophic level where contaminants can accumulate. This is a finding about the sampled comparison, not evidence that every northern green anaconda has the same exposure.

Threats to the habitat

The University of Queensland identifies several pressures on anaconda habitat:

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  • Habitat loss and agricultural fragmentation
  • Mining-related heavy-metal pollution
  • Fires
  • Drought
  • Climate change

The species-level distinction matters for conservation because a population recognized as a separate species may have a more limited range and different management needs than scientists previously assumed.

Where to watch the footage

The encounter appears in National Geographic’s Pole to Pole with Will Smith. Live Science reported a U.S. National Geographic premiere on January 13 and Disney+ availability beginning January 14, with United Kingdom release dates one day later. Streaming catalogs, release timing and subscription requirements can change by country, so viewers should check the National Geographic or Disney+ listing for their market.

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What “largest anaconda ever” should mean here

The most accurate wording is: the expedition measured a 6.3-metre northern green anaconda, the largest measured specimen reported from that expedition. Calling it the largest anaconda ever found goes beyond the evidence currently described. The larger-than-7.5-metre and approximately-500-kilogram animals are Waorani reports awaiting verified measurements, while the television footage shows an animal that Live Science estimated at 16–17 feet.

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