ANIMAL:Jamaican Boa Chilabothrus subflavus
Type of Animal:
Boa/Python
Habitat:
Forests, woodlands, dry scrub forest, swampland, mangroves, heavily vegetated areas, plantations, wetlands
Location(s):
Jamaica
Appearance:
Golden-green/golden-yellow along head/anterior area w/ black zigzag crossbars, blacker towards posterior end, females often darker than males in posterior
Food/Diet:
Rats, mice, birds, bats, lizards, amphibians, insects
Status in Wild:
Threatened
Conservation:
Breeding in zoos, wildlife centers, & herpetoculture
Lifestyle:
Solitary
Additional Info:Called:
Male
Female
Young: Snakelet
Group: Solitary
Weight:
Male: 2.4-5.2 lbs
Female: 2.92-5.68 lbs
Gestation:
6-7 monthsLife Span:
20 years in wild, 24-30 years in captivity
Body Length:
Male: 4.17-5.8 ft
Female: 4.35-7 ft
Young: 1.74 ft
Tail Length:
0.9 ft, same for both sexes
Main predators are cats, dogs, pigs, mongooses, & hawks.
Threatened due to habitat loss/fragmentation, deforestation, introduced predators, human persecution due to false belief they’re venomous/religious associations/poultry consumption, bauxite mining, poaching for meat/pet trade/medicine trade.
Active at night (nocturnal).
They’re ambush predators.
Like all boas, they kill prey by constricting & swallowing whole.
They’re ovoviviparous, w/ embryos developing inside mom’s body, w/ babies eventually coming out as 5-44 live young.
Usually breed between February & April.
Also called Jamaican Yellow Snake & Nanka (from Asante word for snake Onanka).
Each breeding event can last a full day.
Breeding involves pair being tightly intertwined.
Forked tongue detects chemical signals of prey.
They’re semiarboreal.
They have excellent camouflage.
Fun Fact(s):
Though they may prey on poultry, they’re highly beneficial & prefer rodents & smaller birds.
While not aggressive, they can defend themselves w/ needle-sharp teeth if need be. They can also musk.
Largest native terrestrial predator in Jamaica.
