Residents of a lake in Germany have been urged to be on the alert after a 3-metre anaconda escaped from a lake.
Yellow Anaconda
German authorities are trying to capture a 3-metre-long yellow anaconda on the loose in a lake near Dusseldorf, an official said Wednesday.
The anaconda, which was either freed or escaped its enclosure, was first sighted at a lake in Meerbusch six days ago and was sighted again on Tuesday by a man taking his boat out, the city’s spokesman said.
The fire brigade and a reptile expert from Dusseldorf were deployed to the lake late Tuesday but were unable to locate the snake.
NAN reports that according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the yellow anaconda is a generalist carnivore, preying mainly on animals found in wetland and riparian areas throughout its range.
Its diet consists of birds, bird eggs, small mammals, turtles, lizards, other snakes, occasional fish or fish carrion, capybara, and caimans.
The Yellow Anaconda is considered an ambush hunter and constrictor.
An adult Yellow Anaconda has few natural predators.
Humans are the main predator and it is hunted primarily for its skin, although there are varying numbers imported each year for the pet trade.
The Yellow Anaconda is a solitary animal, except in breeding season (April and May).
Yellow anacondas are native to southern South America and is one of the largest snake species in the world.
-(dpa/NAN)