Will Smith's Amazon Adventure Uncovers New Species of Anaconda, Brings the Actor Face-to-Face with Giant Tarantulas and Venomous Snakes.
In a recent expedition to the Amazon rainforest, actor Will Smith joined National Geographic's camera crew on a mission to discover new species. The journey took an unexpected turn when the team came across a massive female green anaconda measuring between 16 to 17 feet long. The giant snake was securely subdued by local Waorani guides, allowing scientists to collect a scale sample for further analysis.
Led by venom expert Bryan Fry, Smith and his team followed the anaconda through the river banks in search of other species. Their efforts paid off when they found the northern green anaconda, a new species that has been genetically distinct from its southern counterpart since diverging around 10 million years ago. The northern green anaconda's territory spans across Venezuela, Colombia, Suriname, French Guyana, and the northern part of Brazil.
During their Amazonian adventure, Smith also encountered a giant tarantula and got to see up close the venom extraction process from the snake. His journey wasn't limited to the rainforest; he ventured into other extreme environments, including the South Pole, the Himalayas, the Pacific Islands, the Kalahari Desert, and even the North Pole.
The three-minute documentary clip provides a glimpse into Smith's Amazonian experience and highlights his camaraderie with indigenous Waorani guides. The footage offers an exhilarating look at the adventure that unfolded in 2022, which led to the discovery of this new species.
Will Smith's "Pole to Pole with Will Smith" premiered on January 13, 2026, and can now be streamed on Disney+.
In a recent expedition to the Amazon rainforest, actor Will Smith joined National Geographic's camera crew on a mission to discover new species. The journey took an unexpected turn when the team came across a massive female green anaconda measuring between 16 to 17 feet long. The giant snake was securely subdued by local Waorani guides, allowing scientists to collect a scale sample for further analysis.
Led by venom expert Bryan Fry, Smith and his team followed the anaconda through the river banks in search of other species. Their efforts paid off when they found the northern green anaconda, a new species that has been genetically distinct from its southern counterpart since diverging around 10 million years ago. The northern green anaconda's territory spans across Venezuela, Colombia, Suriname, French Guyana, and the northern part of Brazil.
During their Amazonian adventure, Smith also encountered a giant tarantula and got to see up close the venom extraction process from the snake. His journey wasn't limited to the rainforest; he ventured into other extreme environments, including the South Pole, the Himalayas, the Pacific Islands, the Kalahari Desert, and even the North Pole.
The three-minute documentary clip provides a glimpse into Smith's Amazonian experience and highlights his camaraderie with indigenous Waorani guides. The footage offers an exhilarating look at the adventure that unfolded in 2022, which led to the discovery of this new species.
Will Smith's "Pole to Pole with Will Smith" premiered on January 13, 2026, and can now be streamed on Disney+.
I'm loving how adventurous Will Smith is! It's amazing that he got to experience the Amazon rainforest and discover a new species of anaconda 
. I think it's awesome that National Geographic partnered with him for this documentary - it must've been an incredible opportunity for both parties. The fact that he got to see venom extraction from snakes, giant tarantulas, and other extreme environments is just crazy 
. It's also great to see the local Waorani guides being featured in the documentary - they're clearly experts in their territory! 
I'm curious to know what inspired Will Smith to take on this adventure in the first place - was it a passion for wildlife or something else?
Will Smith is literally trekking around the world in this crazy adventure and it's so inspiring. I mean, who wouldn't want to explore all those extreme environments and meet people from different cultures? The part where he meets the Waorani guides is so heartwarming too. They're like his friends, you know? 
And can we talk about how cool the giant tarantula is? 
I'm not a fan of spiders or anything, but even I would be all in for that experience. It's just amazing to see Will Smith being his awesome self and sharing this incredible journey with us through Disney+.
and I'm DYING over the anaconda pics 
anyway what's the deal with giant tarantulas? r they venomous or wut? 
, or was it just for publicity or something? also I have no idea how they managed to catch that huge anaconda without getting hurt 
. and what's with all these extreme environments? can't he just stay home and watch Netflix like a normal person 
. but seriously though, discovering new species is so cool! 
discovering a new species of anaconda is like something out of a movie! 
the Waorani guides must be total heroes for helping him catch that massive snake 
Bryan Fry seems super knowledgeable too, can't wait to watch the documentary clip 
. This documentary is giving me serious adventure vibes 
. And can we talk about how cool it is that he met the northern green anaconda? 
. The doco looks so epic, can't wait to stream it on Disney+ and see more of his wild adventures 