Traffic on a busy Brazilian highway was brought to a screeching halt last week when a 10-foot anaconda slithered onto the roadway. Local resident Italo Nascimento Fernandes captured footage of the hefty snake as it edged its way across a congested highway in the Brazilian state of Rondonia. 


 

Concerned that the reptile would be injured, Fernandes hopped out of his vehicle and began redirecting traffic to ensure the sizeable snake made its way safely across the road. "I have seen snakes run over on the highway before, and think such a thing is a crime," Fernandes told The Dodo. Other motorists soon joined the cause and and began signalling to approaching drivers to slow down.

The snake – believed to be a green anaconda – can be seen clambering over the centre guardrail before disappearing into a patch of grass (it's always greener on the other side, right?).

According to biologist Flavio Terassini anacondas sometimes appear in urban areas in search of prey like rodents and even the occasional household pet. "Be careful not to leave trash in the yard because these animals can smell the rodents," Terassini explained to Brazilian news site G1 Globo adding that the snake is likely about 10 years old. Although anacondas are nonvenomous constrictors, they can deliver a nasty bite and will attack if they feel threatened.

Top header image: Jeff Kubina/Flickr