Jake:

First off, the distribution of the Rubber Boa in Washington is extensive just as it is in Oregon. It likely is absent from the immediate and near coastal areas of western WA from the Columbia River up to the northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula. But it is found in the Port Angeles area and throughout much of the inner Washington Puget Sound region including a number of the islands. A few years ago someone either on this or another forum showed photos of boas he had found somewhere either in the Olympia or Tacoma regions.



I use to travel to tennis tournaments in various places in Washington and in my spare time, search for boas. I have observed the species from near Woodland, in the Columbia Gorge, along Hwy. 97 near Satus Pass, at Cle Elum, Swauk Pass north of Ellensburg, and areas west and north of Spokane. I know of the species having been observed east of Ellensburg in strictly arid grassland habitat and in the sagebrush / grassland habitat in the vicinity of Pullman, Washington.



Up until a few years ago, yearly I would apply and obtain a WA. collecting permit. But then they changed the personnel handing the permits and placed an incompetent biologist in charge of the permitting process. I gave up trying to get a workable permit from Washington thereafter.



I do not know exactly what the Washington Regulations now specify or how they are interpreted. But I wouldn't be surprised that if you were to contact a half dozen WA. wildlife agency biologist or officials, that you would probably get at least two (or more) different answers to your questions.



For a good number of years, there was a person in Bellevue by the name of Bob that off and on would advertize Rubber Boas for sale in the Kingsnake classified section. A few years ago on this forum, someone showed a photo of a boa they had purchased from Bob. The boa had a scarred tail tip which indicated that instead of being captive bred (as Bob had claimed), it had be captured in the wild. Don't know if Bob is still breeding and selling boas.



Richard F. Hoyer

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