The anaconda Project started in 1992 as a multi-institution project involving the Convention for the International Trade of endangered Species (CITES), Profauna (the Venezuelan Fish and Wildlife Service) and The Wildlife Conservation Society (WSC). In 1994 CITES and Profauna stopped sponsoring, Profauna kept a mere administrative role as the institutional representation of the project in Venezuela. The National Geographic Society (NGS) along with WCS continued sponsoring the project in the following years. Economic contributions from Consejo Nacional the Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONICIT) and The University of Tennessee were also important sources for the project.

John Thorbjarnarson (from WCS) came up with original idead and initial funding, and has been technical adviser from the beginning. Maria Munoz was my field assistant during the first years of the research (while the funding lasted to hire helpers). Gordon Burghardt is my scientific and academic adviser, Bill Holstrom (from Bronx Zoo, WCS) was very helpful in the capture of animals and experiments made in captivity. Paul Calle has been the veterinarian at hand and many other people such as Rafael Ascanio, Carlos Chavez, Shao-shing Chu, Neil Ford, Frank Indiviglio, Cesar Molina, Renee Owens, and Andrew Travollacci figure (alphabetically) among the many helpers that came in several years challenging the heat, the leeches, and the "swamp itch" to help me catch and subdue the "big girls".