Slippery Customer! Giant Anaconda Rescued From Tourist Lodge

Locals spotted the massive serpent just feet from where Marie-France Grenouillet, 69, and her husband Denis, 65, were staying in Los Llanos, Colombia. 

The French couple were visiting a nature reserve in Juan Solito when they had a close encounter with the native snake. 

Marie-France, a wildlife photographer, and her husband documented the capture of the snake which had been injured.

Locals believed the snake had been attacked by fishermen seeking to protect the fish stock in the river from the predator.

Marie-France said: "When we arrived the staff were looking at the bush and explained to us that a big anaconda was hiding under the branches. 

"They wanted to catch him to prevent fishermen from killing him. 

"It was the event of the day - the rescue of a big anaconda.”

Ten people were needed to carry the female anaconda from its hiding place and put it in a sack for safety. 

It was then carefully carried across a river before being loaded into a truck and driven out to a lagoon four miles away. 

Marie-France said: "We opened the bag slowly but she did not move so we had to push her out. 

“When she finally decided to go out she was disoriented and turned back to us.

“People had to catch her again and put her into the water.”

Anacondas are native to South America and live in swamps, marshes and slow moving streams.

They are the largest snakes in the world and can grow to more than 28 feet long and weigh over 550lb.

Anacondas are carnivorous and powerful constrictors that live on a diet of pigs, deer, caiman and even jaguars.