Why is a 10-foot captured yellow anaconda likely male?
Answer
Because males may only reach around 10 feet, while females reaching this size or smaller occurs less frequently
The size discrepancy between the sexes strongly influences the probability of identifying a specimen based on length. While maximum recorded sizes for females significantly surpass those achieved by males, smaller individuals tend to skew toward the male population. Specifically, if a specimen measuring 10 feet is encountered, there is a high probability that it is a male, as females only reach 10 feet or smaller lengths less often than males do. Females need greater mass to carry large litters, pushing their average and maximum sizes upward relative to the males.
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