A 37-year-old anaconda at a South African zoo has been declared as the oldest snake living in captivity.
Snake
Paul Swires owned Annie between 1989 and 2004 and applied to have the reptile recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest living snake.
Swires revealed that the organisation did not have a category for the oldest living snake but created was specifically for the animal.
Swires, who now lives in New Zealand, told News24: "There was an unbelievable amount of evidence required, in the form of photographs, media articles, along with witness and vet statements from many people who have worked with Annie over the years."
He revealed that he decided to donate Annie to the zoo as he wanted everybody to have the opportunity to see her and is hoping to return to South Africa and visit her again in 2023.
He said: "I had realised that it would be more beneficial to everyone to be able to see Annie in a public place, rather than at my house."