Born and raised in the island of Puerto Rico, we were fortunate to keep and breed one of the most rare locality boas in the Caribbean and in culture. The Puerto Rican boa or “Culebrón” (Epicrates inornatus) is a common resident of the mogotes and is the largest endemic snake in Puerto Rico. Observations of captive specimens suggest that under natural conditions the diet of sub-adults and adults consists of birds (bat predation), small mammals, and lizards. Maximum size is approximately 2 meters.



The secretive habits and cryptic coloration of this species, and the rough terrain and dense forest of its habitat, make it difficult to study individuals for extended periods. In 1970, the species was designated as endangered and was legally protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Since then the boa still is listed as an endangered species by state, federal, and International Conservation Agencies. More recently, there is an indication that the boa has recovered somewhat in recent years, although not to the degree that protective measures can be dropped.



The pale to dark brown, sometimes grayish color in Epicrates inornatus is ontogenetic. As babies, Epicrates inornatus are born with bright orange to reddish brown colors. We are working with a group of Puerto Rican boas and are excited about what the future will bring. The fate of the Puerto Rican Boa population in captivity is in the hands of responsible Locality Breeders.



As I mention in the previous posted thread, we have noticed large population of Epicrates inornatus inside caves in the northern karstic belt part of the island. The Puerto Rican boa is an endemic species listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is considered an important part of the ecosystem. In order to protect the species, we will not mention the specific location of the reserve. The reserve consists of few undisturbed areas interspersed among different successional stages of moist forest. The most notable aspect of the fauna in this location is its bat-boa interactions. Interestingly, it is fascinating to see a large number of boas (Epicrates inornatus) hanging right above the mouth of the cave to catch bats for food. Most of these findings were noticeable right after dusk. In addition, the bat fauna in the cave include six species (46% of the species on the island), representing a large force in the flux of energy through the ecosystem.




Cool stuff.... Thanks for looking!

Orlando

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Dr. Orlando Diaz
LEGACY REPTILES
www.legacyreptiles.com

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