What primary habitat characteristic defines the yellow anaconda's endemic range in South America?
Answer
Wetlands, swamps, and slow-moving river systems.
The yellow anaconda is endemic to the Neotropical region, specifically concentrating its core distribution within the drainage basin of the Paraguay River, encompassing areas like Bolivia, Paraguay, and parts of Brazil and Argentina. The environment defining this core range is overwhelmingly characterized by aquatic and semi-aquatic features. These include extensive wetlands, deep swamps, marshes, and the brush-covered edges bordering slow-moving rivers and streams. During periods of heavy rainfall, the snake exhibits seasonal movement, often expanding into open, treeless flooded prairies and fields to utilize the newly inundated territory for hunting and movement.
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