Reptiles · Squamata · Boidae

Dominica Boa

Boa nebulosa

Least Concern

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

The Dominica boa is a boa endemic to that Caribbean island, separated as a species of its own from the mainland boa constrictor in 2016. It is the largest snake on Dominica and a key predator of introduced rodents. Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island in 2017, seriously affected its habitat and its only known population.

Weight

4 kg – 15 kg

Size

2 m – 3.5 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

RainforestMountainIslandsCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Reptile Rainforest Mountain Islands

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Fun facts

It was recognised as a species of its own in 2016, when it was split from the mainland boa constrictor along with the Saint Lucia boa: until then they were regarded as island populations of a single widespread species.
Hurricane Maria in 2017 destroyed much of Dominica's forest and seriously affected the species' only population, whose subsequent monitoring is still under way.
It is the island's largest land predator and controls the introduced rat populations, though direct persecution by local people remains a problem.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Montane rainforest, dry forest and plantations on the island of Dominica, in the Lesser Antilles
Sexual maturity: 4 years
Gestation / incubation: 6 months of gestation
Litter / clutch size: 25 live young

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