Is There a 30-Metre Anaconda in the Amazon? The Truth Behind Viral Videos
Videos circulating on social media allegedly show a giant anaconda swimming in the Amazon River. Some clips also depict enormous snakes gathered in one place. One video appears to have been filmed from a helicopter. The footage has attracted considerable attention, and some users believe it is genuine.
But do the giant anacondas shown in these videos really exist?
On 14 May 2025, the Spanish fact-checking service RTVE Verifica examined a viral video allegedly showing a giant anaconda in the Amazon and reported that the images had been generated using artificial intelligence (AI) (source).
During its investigation, the fact-checking team identified anomalies in the snake’s apparent size and its movement through the water. In some frames, the shape of the snake’s body changes and the image becomes distorted. At certain points, it even appears to have a second head. Such inconsistencies raise doubts about the authenticity of the footage.
The Ecuadorian fact-checking outlet Lupa Media and the Colombian fact-checking organisation ColombiaCheck also examined videos of a giant anaconda that circulated in May 2025. They found that the footage had been generated using AI. According to Lupa Media, there is no scientific evidence that an anaconda measuring 30 metres exists.
Viral videos of giant snakes can appear convincing partly because real anacondas can indeed grow to impressive sizes. However, it is important to distinguish biological facts from exaggerated or manipulated images circulating online.
Length: Green anacondas can reportedly reach approximately 6–9 metres in length, making them among the largest snakes in the world.
Weight: Large female anacondas can weigh up to approximately 250 kilograms.
Habitat: They are found in tropical regions of South America, including the Amazon and Orinoco river basins.
Lifestyle: Anacondas spend much of their time in water or among vegetation along riverbanks.
Diet: These non-venomous snakes capture prey by coiling their bodies around it and constricting it. Their diet includes fish, birds and various mammals.
This information is presented in materials published by the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in the United States and National Geographic.
Anacondas generally lead solitary lives. However, during the breeding season, several males may gather around a single female. According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, this behaviour has been observed in green anacondas, with as many as 13 males gathering around one female in some cases.
Therefore, the appearance of several anacondas in one place does not, by itself, mean that a video is fake. However, this biological behaviour does not confirm the authenticity of every video circulating on social media either. Each clip must be assessed individually by examining its source and the details of the events it depicts.
How can you verify whether a video is authentic?
When assessing suspicious footage, consider the following factors:
Identify the original source. Find the earliest available publication of the video and establish when it first appeared online.
Examine visual details. Look for unnatural changes in the snake’s body shape, head or movements from one frame to the next.
Look for confirmation from reliable sources. Check whether reputable news organisations or scientific institutions have reported the event.
Do not rely on visual impressions alone. A video’s authenticity should be assessed using independent evidence, rather than simply how realistic it appears.
Conclusion
Green anacondas are genuinely large snakes that inhabit the Amazon Basin. However, some viral videos circulated in 2025 depicting snakes of extraordinary size were found by fact-checking organisations to have been generated using artificial intelligence.
It is therefore misleading to present these videos as evidence that a new or record-breaking giant snake has appeared in the Amazon.
Verdict: FALSE. The claims about the giant anacondas depicted in the viral videos examined by fact-checkers are not supported by the evidence. In particular, there is no scientific evidence confirming the existence of a 30-metre-long anaconda.
