Sebastien Bascoules and his friend pose with a captured 17ft anaconda (Picture: Barcoft)

Snake-wrestler Sebastien Bascoules is either very brave or incredibly stupid.

The maths teacher waded into a river to capture a 17ft-long anaconda, which had just eaten his friend’s dog.

He then took it home – so his children could play with it.


The 39-year-old says sons Noam 11, Solal, eight, and five-year-old Mano, were never in danger because: ‘I put a cloth on the snake’s head so it was blind and became like a big worm.’

After keeping the anaconda in his bath overnight he took it back to the river the next day to release it – because his wife was nagging him.



The Frenchman said he set up home in Matoury, French Guinea, 15 years ago to fulfil a childhood dream of living with, and catching, snakes.

Mano Bascoules, five, poses with a 17ft anaconda which ate a pet dog (Picture: Barcroft)

‘I have caught between 15 and 20 anacondas while I’ve lived here,’ he said.

‘While this one surprised me with its strength and length, to capture it was a dream come true.’

Sadly, the dog did not survive.