Will Smith Giant Anaconda Species 2024: A Discovery 10 Million Years in the Making

What happens when an Oscar winner meets a 17-foot apex predator in the heart of the Amazon? It's not a movie script, but a major scientific breakthrough. During the filming of National Geographic's series, Will Smith helped document what's now recognized as a completely new species of giant snake.

The Will Smith Giant Anaconda Species 2024 Breakdown

In 2024, scientists officially announced the discovery of the Northern Green Anaconda (Eunectes akayama). The species was identified through samples collected during a 2022 expedition for the documentary 'Pole to Pole with Will Smith'. Led by venom expert Bryan Fry and guided by indigenous Waorani experts, the team scoured the riverbanks to find this massive reptile.

The snake encountered by Smith was a female measuring over 5 meters long, described as "pure muscle." While anacondas aren't venomous, their bite is formidable. Smith assisted Fry in collecting scale samples, which were crucial for the genetic analysis that later proved the snake was distinct from its southern relatives.

According to the researchers, the Northern and Southern Green Anacondas diverged approximately 10 million years ago. Despite looking almost identical to the naked eye, they share a 5.5% genetic difference, a staggering gap considering humans and chimps differ by only about 1%.