VIDEO: Man eating anaconda found by construction workers

The huge serpent, capable of eating a man, has been tied down to a crane and a chain is wrapped around it.

Weighing an estimated 400kg, the snake's length is truly awesome and can be seen in full as the camera operator tracks from head to tail.

It was said to have been found by workers building the Belo Monte dam in Altamira, Brazil, and was flushed out by an explosion

But the images provoked a storm of criticism on YouTube from commenters who said the snake should not have been killed.

A shot of its massive, broad head shows its mouth agape an eyes glazed over.

One commenter said: "Shame on these people for killing it! A snake that big has probably been alive for a very long time now, just to be killed for a few pictures? What a waste."

Another added: "Why would you kill such a beautiful snake?"  A third commenter, a self-professed snake lover, weighed in and said: "I adore the cuties. I have two of my own. But they were doing construction, and it was in the way.

"Do you know how hard it is to move a 30 foot snake? Especially a wild anaconda.

"Anacondas are extremely aggressive snakes. Even in captivity, they're extremely hard to tame down and can be very bitey. A wild one, I wouldn't want to mess with at all."