Boa constrictor (Bequer)
Note: Relatively common snake, which can reach lengths of 4.5m, though most adults are only 2-3m.
Habitat: Forests and shrublands in lowland dry, moist, wet, and premontane moist and wet forests.
Food: Kills by constriction. Eats a varied diet, including birds, lizards, bats, and mammals. Cannot kill or eat animals as large as cattle, contrary to folklore.
Biology: They are arboreal and can be seen during the
day but are more active at night. Captive boas can live 25-35 years.
Source: Savage, Jay M. 2002. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago. 935pp.
Back to Tortuguero 2004 Trip Page