Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone know conclusively one way or the other if a person has ever been killed by a boa constrictor in the US? If so, where can I find documentation for / against?

Also...# of deaths from burms/retics/rock/anacondas in the US?

I'm working on stats to have in my arsenal if needed.
We are currently up against a ban on constrictors that reach over 8'

THANKS
Dean Alessandrini
VP THE GREATER CINCINNATI HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

(copy and paste)

This is from the Chicago Herp. Soc. website and I think it represents a reasonable approach. As an aging herper who has been active on the scene for 40 years, I can say that while I have heard about most of the cases involving Python molurus and reticulatus, I cant think of a single case involving Boa constrictor. But that is not really the point, which is that in all herp attack cases I can think of, it was almost always the owner, and in a few cases, members of the owners family, that was attacked INSIDE of their own homes (the general public was never in any danger). These types of attacks should never be equated with dog attacks, for example, in which dogs pursue members of the public off of the owners property, and the public is endangered by the reckless behavior of the owners. If I choose to own potentially dangerous animals and I am killed or injured as a result of my choices, they remain my choices. I dont need or want the government to protect me from myself. If a family member is killed or injured inside of my home as a result lax security measures, then the government can still enforce reckless endangerment or manslaughter charges against me. It doesnt have to ban what it imagines to be dangerous animals, in its own severely limited awareness, if they are completely confined to private property. See "The Case Against Licensing" articles on the Wisconsin Herpetological Society website (right margin menu).
Ed Stone, WI Herp. Society
Wisconsin Herpetological Society

This was inadvertantly ommitted from my previous message, at the top with (copy and paste):
Ed
Chicago Herp. Society link

Dean, you may want to contact the Chicago Herp Society who has successfully Fought proposed legislation along with PIJAC.

You can reach the CHS through their website. Also email me privately with your group info, and I will bring it up at next board meeting.
Chicago Herp Society

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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

I also can't think of a boa doing someone in. I think this question was posted on another forum. Burms and Retics have gotten, not only private owners, but zookeepers as well, in trouble. There was a show on the discovery ch about it.
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