One breathtaking video recently popped up on the web, showing what looked like a massive anaconda swimming along a stream in the remote Amazon jungle. Filmed from high above, perhaps from a drone or helicopter, the video captured the attention of millions of people around the world. Posted on social media site X (previously Twitter), the video initially went viral and was captioned, "Once again, a giant anaconda snake was spotted in the Amazon forests." As wonder created doubt, however, some of the viewers began questioning the authenticity of the video — some saying the video was manipulated with artificial intelligence (AI) or digitally created.
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Viral Amazon anaconda video leaves viewers questioning what’s real
The level of resolution on the video was high-definition sharpness, and the foreboding shots taken by the camera guaranteed that it was both a sensation as well as its own catalyst for subsequent suspicion. Twitter users were split. While some were awed at the sight offered into one of the world's most isolated habitats, others questioned whether such content had indeed been generated live using today's CGI or AI coding software.
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With the advent of deepfakes and generative AI content, the line between fact and fiction has become increasingly blurred. No government body has yet authenticated the video, and without metadata or location tagging, the origin and authenticity of the video are uncertain.
Amazon’s legendary green anaconda
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Anacondas, specifically the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), are the world's most powerful reptiles. Found in the Amazon and other regions of South America, they are the Earth's largest snake species and among the longest, with adult snakes over 20 feet (6 meters) long and over 90 kilograms (200 pounds) in weight.
They are half-aquatic and love dark, sluggish bodies of water like swamps, marshes, and floodplains — places that offer sufficient cover and the availability of food. As tough as they look, anacondas are shy and solitary and would not mind staying away from humans. Anacondas are non-toxic constrictors and get their food by pure muscular pressure, feeding on fish, birds, and even larger prey like capybaras or caimans. Over the centuries, the anaconda has reached the level of near-myth, thanks to tribal myth, sensationalized press, and popular press hype. Seeing these snakes from time to time in their natural environment is virtually guaranteed to ensure that sightings receive widespread publicity, no matter what their context.
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Brazilian anaconda video goes viral amid new species discovery
In another occurrence last year, an anaconda was seen in a video where a group of Brazilian tourists stood in wonder as a massive anaconda slowly moved across a lake. The video was posted by the Inside History Instagram account, stating that the snake had recently eaten — which was the reason it moved slowly and puffed up in the middle. The video went viral again, garnering admiration and fear from the public. These phenomena illustrate how digital media reach and immediacy maximize public concern over wildlife, particularly large predators.
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As the net rang out with home pages, the science world hit a milestone in history. Scientists hit the headlines in April when they discovered a new, unknown species of anaconda in the Amazon. Discovery was made while filming a National Geographic series hosted by actor Will Smith. The expedition, which was led by University of Queensland Professor Bryan Fry, traveled into the isolated Bameno area — one of the last remaining regions of the Amazon that has not been touched by modern development. For 10 days, the team, joined by Waorani hunters who live in the area, followed the new species in shallow water.
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