The diver in that video is Freek Vonk, famous Dutch TV biologist (basically the Dutch Steve Irwin) and professor at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.
This video was part of the original announcement of the discovery. Freek does a lot to teach the general public about animals, and that involves a lot of spectacular videos that seem reckless and dangerous, but he clearly knows what he's doing. He's been doing this for ages. I'm absolutely sure this wasn't an aquarium. I'm also pretty sure Freek knows more about how to safely approach snakes than you do.
Wearing a loose white shirt is probably on purpose. Will make easier to the other members of the team to spot him in case of trouble and pull him out of the water. Also could divert a possible attack making easier to detach the snake head.
Anacondas are famously unpredictable and got upset easily. Swimming with them is not a move driven by wisdom. My bet is that "avoiding an attack because I know how to handle it" is not so much the main objective here as: "in case of attack, film and rescue"
He is a TV maker, so it's definitely possible he considered the possibility of an attack as an upside rather than a downside. I hadn't thought about the loose shirt being a possible benefit; I thought he'd just jumped in in his office attire because he's an impulsive ADHD loon and it's not that deep and it makes good TV.
> He is a TV maker, so it's definitely possible he considered the possibility of an attack as an upside rather than a downside.
Therefore degrading the profession of zoologist to clowns that put themselves on dangerous and stupid situations all the time to sell a TV series, that is the product advertised here.
I suspect he knows snake behaviour better than either of us. Maybe he can spot it is not hunting/has just eaten/is just patrolling its patch/idk, but is not dangerous at that moment.
> I'm also pretty sure Freek knows more about how to safely approach snakes than you do.
Maybe, maybe not. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freek_Vonk: “He has been bitten by a number of venomous snakes, almost lost his arm due to a Caribbean reef shark bite”
I relocate rattlesnakes all the time and have never been bitten. But it's only a matter of time. When it happens I'll go to the hospital. My insurance company will hate me (antivenin is extremely expensive), but I'll be fine.
Of course anacondas are non-venomous. If one bites you it can be a trauma and blood loss issue simply because of the size of their mouth. But python hunters in Florida get bitten all the time and it's no big deal. (One even says she insists on letting the snake bite her because she is about to kill it.)
I've been bitten by smaller constrictors (rat snakes) often. The wound draws blood but it doesn't hurt because their teeth are razor-sharp. First aid involves a band-aid and triple antibiotic ointment.
Well, none of the venomous snakes that I messed with, bit me. Can't say the same about fishes (The shark event was embarrassing, I still keep my finger and don't want to talk about it).
So maybe my approach of "not approach unless is funny" is better. I have been fairly successful keeping my scar-pride list as low as humanely possible (but I must admit that I never discovered a new anaconda).
Then perhaps it really is as reckless and dangerous as it looks. Still, he hasn't died yet, so either he's very lucky or he must be doing something right. I hope he won't go the way Steve Irwin did.
This video was part of the original announcement of the discovery. Freek does a lot to teach the general public about animals, and that involves a lot of spectacular videos that seem reckless and dangerous, but he clearly knows what he's doing. He's been doing this for ages. I'm absolutely sure this wasn't an aquarium. I'm also pretty sure Freek knows more about how to safely approach snakes than you do.