‘Oliver,’ a male green anaconda at the San Francisco Zoo, passed away at 40 years old this week.
Snakes are routinely demonized in Western society. They’re connected with notions of malice, deceit, and so on; there’s a cultural significance now to having one’s comment section filled with snake emojis, for example.
But the fact of the matter is, these limbless ectotherms — animals that can’t regulate their body temperatures and, thus, must rely on environmental heat sources to survive — are essential to the health of our planet. They regulate populations of vermin; the venoms produced by some species of vipers have medicinal properties that could prove key in treating Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and even certain cancers; certain Mesoamerican cultures worshiped snakes as deities because of their tenacity, ability to survive in harsh conditions and shed their skins, and rhythmic ways of slithering through the world.
(Alas, we digress; we’re trying to wax favorably of these otherwise vilified noodles.)
There are at least 4,000 species of snakes known to science, and an example of the largest one known to science, the green anaconda, which was recently split into two distinct species — recently passed away at the San Francisco Zoo. Not only was the snake’s size impressive — “Oliver,” the resident green anaconda at the zoological facility, measured a whopping 15 feet long and weighed more than 110 lbs — but so was his age.
Zoo staff estimated Oliver was about 40 years old when he passed away this week. For context, most species of pythons and boas live between 15 to 25 years in captivity, with the rare example reaching their early 30s. But a noodle under human care living for a documented 40 years is virtually unheard of.
There’s a good chance — a very, very good chance — Oliver might’ve been the oldest living anaconda ever kept in captivity. The Guinness Books of World Records notes a snake named “Annie,” another green anaconda, currently holds the verifiable record of being the oldest snake to live in captivity, passing away at nearly 38 years old.
Oliver was at least two years older than Annie before his untimely passing. However, ball pythons, each kept at zoological facilities, have been recorded exceeding 40 and even 60 years of age. A 62-year-old female ball python at the St. Louis Zoo laid a clutch of fertile eggs in 2020… despite not having been in contact with a male for over a decade — literally, Mother Nature giving the biggest middle finger to ageism and the patriarchy.
In an Instagram post announcing his death, the SF Zoo opined Oliver’s “iconic” status as a denizen of the SF Zoo and was credited for being a “valuable ambassador for his species.” For countless zoo visitors, Oliver was the first anaconda they’d seen in real life and outside the hyperbolic, woefully inaccurate depictions both traditional media and movie making have connected them with.
“He will be remembered as a gentle giant who took life slow and easy,” the post continues. “RIP Oliver.’
Rest in peace, indeed, Oliver. Here’s hoping whatever lies beyond this mortal coil has a massive, temperature-controlled pool for you to swim and vibe in, you gorgeous and tender noodle.
Feature Image: Courtesy of SF Zoo
