QUEENSLAND, Australia — A new species of one of the world's largest snakes has been discovered in the Amazon while filming a National Geographic Disney+ series, according to the University of Queensland.
According to the University of Queensland, Bryan Fry, a professor at the university, led a team that "captured and studied" multiple specimens of a species of giant anaconda that they say had previously been undocumented.
The new species, named the "northern green anaconda" or Eunectes akayima, was reportedly located in the Bameno region of Baihuaeri Waorani Territory in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
“Our team received a rare invitation from the Waorani people to explore the region and collect samples from a population of anacondas, rumoured to be the largest in existence,” said Fry.
Fry said indigenous hunters took the team into the jungle on a 10-day expedition to find the snakes, which are considered sacred.
According to Fry, the team found several of the anacondas, including one female that measured 6.3 meters (over 20 feet) long, though reports from the Waorani people reportedly claim other anacondas in the area could measure more than 7.5 meters (over 24 feet) long and weigh around 500 kilograms (over 1100 pounds).
"The size of these magnificent creatures was incredible," said Fry.
The species was reportedly discovered while filming with National Geographic for the upcoming Disney+ series "Pole to Pole with Will Smith", on which Fry, who the University said is a National Geographic Explorer, was the expedition's scientific leader.
Fry described the expedition as a "true cross-cultural endeavor", citing the help of the Waorani people, including Waorani Chief Penti Baihua. Fry recognized the contributions of the Waorani collaborators by naming them as co-authors of the paper about the discovery.
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