Anaconda Breeding Ball | National Geographic

this male anaconda here in the swamp Eli
on oso Venezuela is not looking for food
he’s looking for a mate his tongue is
pulling pheromone molecules into his
mouth
once they pass through his Jacobson’s
organ he can tell there is a ready
female nearby the male anaconda is
smaller than a female but as you can see
small is a relative term with these
snakes growing up to 30 feet long you
wouldn’t want a mean one in a dark alley
or in a swimming pool in broad daylight
for that matter the male arrives to find
the party in full swing
the mating party that is what he’s
discovered is called a breeding ball
several males have wrapped themselves
around the frisky female does this stop
our loverboy yah-ha no way
now it may look like her dance card is
full but sometimes a female will
accommodate up to a dozen males so how
does this work there’s one male get to
mate or do they all is the biggest the
smallest the one that gets there first
lasts scientists aren’t really sure but
it just may be the one that tickles her
the best the male is using what’s called
his mating sperm the last vestige of
what was a hind leg in his lizard
ancestor one male is able to leave a
sperm plug in the female but guys being
guys rival males may try to squeeze it
out of her
squeezing being what anacondas do best
as for the female well the face says it
all
you