Terrifying footage that shows a fisherman holding an anaconda recently resurfaced and the internet is bewildered.
The video was shared to Reddit's "Interesting as F**k" forum earlier this month by u/amonaloli12. So far, the post, found here, has received more than 6 million views and over 3,600 comments.
In the footage, the fisherman can be seen struggling to hold the anaconda as it tries to swim away from the boat. Others on the boat can be heard yelling and laughing as the giant snake fights hard to escape the fisherman's clutches.
Finally, at around the video's 10-second mark, the snake manages to break free.
According to Unilad, the footage dates back to 2014, and those involved were each fined $600 for "harassing the snake." Reptiles Magazine reported at the time that the snake's stomach "had an obvious bulge in its belly...which hindered its ability to escape the two men."
Live Science reported back in 2012 that larger meals do, in fact, "incapacitate" anacondas. As a result, they often regurgitate their meals to "escape dangers."
"After a big meal, they've just got to crawl off, find a sunny warm place and sit there for weeks," Frank Indiviglio, a former herpetologist for the Bronx Zoo, told the publication.
"The massive effort of digesting a meal makes the snakes slow and heavy. As a result, at the first hint of danger anacondas regurgitate their meals in order to hide, fight or run," Live Science added.
Some commenters were horrified by the footage.
"Someone please tell me what country this is so I can never go there," wrote u/DeroTurtle.
"This is why I live where the air hurts my face," said u/thekinslayer7x.
"This is a Sea Monster and no snake," commented u/Union_Sparky_375.
"This video makes me incredibly uneasy," added u/swordofdangles.
Redditor u/Cad-Bane simply said: "Nope!"
Others couldn't understand why the man decided to grab the anaconda in the first place.
"Why is he touching it? What is his plan?" asked u/purpleowlie.
"Why is this guy f***ing with it," wrote u/Dankincense_n_myrhh.
"Put that thing back where it came from SIR!" exclaimed u/mawdow.
In other snake-related news, an anaconda was rescued from a river in southwestern Brazil back in November after getting trapped in some branches.
Environmental Military Police of Mundo Novo reportedly spotted the snake during an inspection patrol to prevent fishing in the city. In a video taken of the rescue, the 16.5-foot anaconda—which had recently ingested a rather large animal—appears rather docile.
Experts don't know what the snake had eaten or which type of anaconda it was; however, they suspect, based on its appearance, that it was a green anaconda.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Sara Santora is a Newsweek reporter based in Florida. Her focus is reporting on viral social media posts and trends. ... Read more
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