Reptiles · Squamata · Boidae

Madagascar Tree Boa

Sanzinia madagascariensis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Madagascar tree boa is a medium-sized constrictor, green or brown depending on the population, endemic to the island. It is viviparous and hunts birds, bats and rodents at night, detecting them with heat-sensitive pits on its lips. Its presence in Madagascar is a biogeographical puzzle: its closest relatives are in South America, not in Africa.

Weight

2 kg – 6 kg

Size

1.5 m – 2.5 m

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestIslandsCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Reptile Rainforest Islands

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Fun facts

Its closest relatives are the South American boas, not the African snakes: it is a relic of the time when Madagascar, India, Africa and South America were all part of Gondwana, and one of the classic pieces of evidence for continental drift in biogeography.
It senses heat: pits in the labial scales let it locate warm-blooded prey in total darkness, forming a thermal image of its surroundings.
It is viviparous: it lays no eggs but gestates its young for six months and gives birth to between four and a dozen fully independent snakes.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Rainforest, gallery forest and plantations of eastern and north-western Madagascar
Sexual maturity: 4 years
Gestation / incubation: 6 months of gestation
Litter / clutch size: 8 live young

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/