While filming with Will Smith in the Amazon, a team of scientists made a jaw-dropping discovery that could rewrite the record books — a previously unknown species of giant anaconda, far larger than anything ever documented.
During production for a National Geographic series, the team uncovered a new species deep in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest. This astonishing find has shaken the scientific community and could forever change what we know about these mysterious creatures.
A discovery unlike any other
Led by Professor Bryan Fry from the University of Queensland, the researchers made their extraordinary find in the remote Bameno region of the Baihuaeri Waorani territory — a place rarely visited by outsiders.
The newly identified northern green anaconda (Eunectes akayima) can reportedly grow over 20 feet long, surpassing all known size records for these massive reptiles.
This groundbreaking moment happened as the crew filmed the upcoming National Geographic series Pole to Pole with Will Smith.
The hunt for the world’s biggest snake
Over ten intense days, the scientists were guided by indigenous hunters who led them through dense jungle waterways in search of the colossal snakes long spoken of in legend.
Paddling through narrow river systems in canoes, the team captured several specimens of the enormous reptiles — including one that stretched an astonishing 20.7 feet.
Local legend: snakes that grow over 24 feet?
Adding to the intrigue are the stories passed down by the region’s native communities.
According to local reports, some of these massive anacondas may reach beyond 24 feet in length — a claim that, if verified, would make the northern green anaconda the largest snake on Earth.
The Waorani people, who view these serpents as sacred, have long believed the biggest of them dwell in their territory, with accounts suggesting individuals over 7.5 meters (more than 24 feet) long.
The hidden giant of the Amazon
Reaching these remote habitats was no easy task. The expedition team paddled through swampy river systems to find the elusive snakes lurking in flooded lowlands, lying in wait for their prey.
Throughout the journey, the scientists managed to capture and study several of these giant creatures, including one measuring an incredible 6.3 meters (20.7 feet). The discovery left researchers in awe — and raised new questions about how many of these enormous animals might still be hiding in the untouched wilderness of the Amazon.
Could even larger anacondas still exist somewhere in this vast rainforest? One thing is clear: the northern green anaconda has rewritten the records, and the Amazon remains a place of untold mystery that modern science is only beginning to understand.
