Horrifying footage shows fisherman battling a giant anaconda

The unbelievable moment a fisherman caught a huge anaconda has gone viral on social media.

Green anacondas are the heaviest snakes in the world and can grow to more than 30ft. They are native to parts of South America.

In a clip posted on Reddit’s r/interestingasfuck sub, footage of a fisherman battling with a massive anaconda in Brazil as it tries to swim off has been viewed 5.3 million times.

Anacondas are a non-venomous constrictor snake, meaning they suffocate their prey before eating it.

They feast on large mammals including deer, cayman and jaguars. They are native to the rainforest and are often found in streams, swamps and rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

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In the comments, people were horrified and wanted more information about where such beasts can be found.

One person wrote: “Someone please tell me what country this is so I can never go there.”

Another joked: “This is why I live where the air hurts my face.”

Someone else reassured people, saying: “He’s just fucking with it to get it on video. Locals know how to safely deal with these snakes.”

One clever Redditor chimed in with information about the cultural significance of the snakes and revealed that the fishermen got in trouble for handling the anaconda.

They revealed: “If I remember correctly this video surfaced a while ago and these fisherman were found and subsequently in trouble with the law.”

They continued: “Anacondas are a revered species throughout the Amazon and harming them is a no-no.

“In many folklore and tribal legends the anaconda is referred to as the ‘water mother’ and is said to have carved the Amazon. They’re a big deal.”

It turns out the clip was from 2014 and it happened on the Santa Maria River in the state of Mato Grosso do Suland.