15 ft Anaconda on the loose in popular New Jersey Lake?

Just came across this story of a 15 ft anaconda being loose in the largest lake in New Jersey... I dunno about you folks, but I hate snakes, well hate is a strong word, I'm terrified of snakes... And if a 15 ft anaconda was located in a lake I frequented, I would avoid it at all costs.

What's odd about this story, is that this reptile expert is supposedly trying to be "hushed" to not scare the public. Kinda reminds of the plot to Jaws, where there were known threats, but the mayor didn't want to cause panic to the town with the summer rolling around and knowing that the city was dependent on the summer crowds...

So ATS- if you knew about a 15 ft anaconda swimming in your favorite place to swim would you avoid? Would you try to catch the snake? Or would you go about your business with little to no worry (like swimming in the ocean knowing sharks and other predators are around)..

A reptile expert said Friday that he wants to go "on the record" and confirm that New Jersey authorities are searching for an anaconda, not a boa constrictor in the state's largest lake.

"I was sworn to keep my mouth shut by local officials to avoid causing a panic," Gerald Andrejcak, the specialist, told NJ.com. "Now that there's a panic, I'm going on the record."

He said when the snake was called a boa, it wasn't exactly a lie, because the snakes are technically in the same family. However, anacondas, made famous by the 1997 Jennifer Lopez movie, can send chills through a community because their diet consists of deer and other large mammals. They also and have no natural predators.

Andrejack, who works for Common Sense for Animals, was searching Lake Hopatcong in Jefferson Township, which is in the northern part of the state. He told the paper that he determined it was a green anaconda last week after hearing reports about the snake's behavior and where it was spotted.

He said he told a member of the Hopatcong animal control about his suspicions and was told to keep quiet.

On Tuesday, the official appeared to downplay reports on the snake, saying, "No officials have seen this snake, and you know how people exaggerate."

The paper reached out to the official on Thursday and Friday, but he did not immediately respond.

Andrejack told the paper he positively identified the snake on Thursday as a 16-foot-long green anaconda, when he saw it by the lake. When animal care workers responded, it was gone, he said.

Anacondas can grow up to 29 feet in length, the report said. Their biggest threat is humans.

"If someone can kill it and get out of here, that's fine," Tony Colantonio, who rents a property on the lake, told the paper. "I want proof that it's gone."

Andrejack said he is frustrated by the lack of response from municipal officials, says he hopes he finds the snake before someone kills it.

Link to story

NBC Video about the Story

Mods- I ran a search, didn't see anything posted, Please 86 the thread if its a duplicate.

Someone call the AIMS team stat! Yeah I know it's not West Virginia but it's close

Worst case, the Audubon Society has a heart attack. That snake would freeze in the winter.

originally posted by: iamhobo
Worst case, the Audubon Society has a heart attack. That snake would freeze in the winter.

I think worst case is that they lose out on all that revenue if people stay away from this lake due to fear. Fear can spread like a wild fire, if I knew of a giant snake in the local lake by me I would go find another lake to swim in, but maybe I'm in the minority there.

I'm sure they will be hoping for winter to kill off this snake and any others if they can't locate it this summer/fall

Depending on the way they market this, they could have snake hunters from all across the world wanting to move there. They could put up hundreds of HD webcams and feeding stations, charge a subscription fee and anyone who captures a picture of the snake gets a prize.

originally posted by: stormcell
Depending on the way they market this, they could have snake hunters from all across the world wanting to move there. They could put up hundreds of HD webcams and feeding stations, charge a subscription fee and anyone who captures a picture of the snake gets a prize.

A 15 ft snake in the largest lake in NJ could be a "needle in a haystack" type situation, right? I'm not a fisherman or snake hunter/trapper, but I'm sure it would be hard to find a single snake... Maybe I'm way off here though

a reply to: iamhobo
If its 16 feet long its been there a while now, as they grow very slowly so I'm guessing the winters aren't bothering it much

a reply to: jhn7537

So ATS- if you knew about a 15 ft anaconda swimming in your favorite place to swim would you avoid? Would you try to catch the snake? Or would you go about your business with little to no worry (like swimming in the ocean knowing sharks and other predators are around)..

I live in Florida so it would be business as usual for me. However, I will say that I hate snakes every single one that can harm me and the ones that look like the ones that could harm me.

My guess is someone let it lose up there this year and come this winter it will freeze to death. I wouldn't hunt it but like I said it would be business as usual for me just like now whenever I go fishing or canoeing I carry a larger caliber handgun with me. I have killed a few rattlesnakes here and what I think were cotton mouths but I haven't seen any Boas or anacondas ....yet, and I am glad for it.

a reply to: Grimpachi

Yea, being from FL I'm sure you see your fair share of snakes, especially if you're in close proximity to the everglades, but being from Chicago we have little gartner snakes that grow a couple feet and sometimes up to 4 ft. , but a 16 ft anaconda is a WHOLE nother cookie that I would never want to dangle with...

a reply to: jhn7537

I have a cousin up that way that is terrified of even the gartner snakes. If she saw one of those she would probably $h%t a load of bricks. Not that I would blame her.

It has gotten to the point here that they issue hunting permits for the boas and anacondas bt wht doesn't make sense is they set limits...they are freakin invasive species.

Anyway, there isn't a week that goes by for me here that I don't see a snake, scorpion, alligator, shark, barracuda, or deadly spider but I like to fish, surf, and scuba dive. Hell last week I killed a black widow and a coral snake while doing some lawn work in my back yard and I am still nursing an open wound on my arm that the doctors think was caused by a brown recluse from last month.

Oh well that's the trade off for great weather. It is even worse where I spend the other half of my years which is Central and South America.

I like snakes, but I wouldn't want to go swimming with a huge dangerous one in a lake. I agree, I think it was recently released and will die in the colder months. I'm wondering who the idiot was that released the damned thing.

a reply to: Grimpachi

Wow, crazy that you have regular interactions with so many dangerous species... Good thing you know how to handle them, because I would likely screw up and get bit... by all the above you listed... haha

Live about 10 miles from the lake not sure what to make of this snake expert but yesterday he claimed he saw the thing - 15 to 16 foot on it. I don't see it living through the winter unless it goes into a basement but would think somebody would notice a 15 foot snake in the basement. In winter the lake totally freezes and people ride snowmobiles on it from bar to bar.

Most people are joking about it but think there is probably something to it.

Local News story.

Expert: Lake Hopatcong snake an anaconda

a reply to: jhn7537

Nah..you would be fine. Every once in a while I catch an alligator while fishing or alligator turtle that give a surprise when I real them in. Once caught a cotton mouth when I tried to set the hook it came flying out of the water at me. But that is fishing. As far as the other stuff they pretty much leave you alone if you leave them alone. I kill the poisonous stuff around the home because I worry about everyone around here.

I was stung once by a scorpion years ago mowing the lawn the recluse I have no idea where that happened though.