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AMPHIBIANS:
Pac Man Frog
BIRDS:
Chickens
Cockatoo, Sulfer Crested
Chinese Geese
Ducks
Helmeted Guinea Fowl
Macaw, Blue & Yellow
Miniature Macaw
Parrot, Amazon
MAMMALS:
Black Bear
Bobcat
Capuchin, Black & White
Coati Mundis
Cougar
Deer, Fallow
Ferrets
Goat (Pygmy)
Hedgehog
Lemur, Ringtailed
Leopard, black
Liger
Lion (African)
Lion (Barbary)
Macaque, Java
Macaque, Snow
Marmoset
Pig
Sheep
Tiger (Bengal)
Tiger (Siberian)
Vervet
Wolves
Zebra
REPTILES:
Alligator
Anaconda
Bearded Dragon
Boa, Columbian
California King Snake
Corn Snake
Iguana
Lizard, African Plated
Python, Burmese
Python, Reticulated
Python, Royal
Skink, Blue Tongue
Tortoise, Spurred
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| Columbian
Boa |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Closely
related to the python, the boa constrictor is pale sandy brown (which
may have a pink cast) with 15 to 20 chocolate brown marks on its back.
Normally grows to a length of 10 feet. The largest boa constrictor
ever caught was 18.5 feet long.
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| GEOGRAPHICAL
RANGE AND HABITAT: |
Native
to the tropical forests of Central and South America. Boa constrictors
may forage in the trees but they are mainly terrestrial, especially
the larger ones, and live in hollow logs, mammal burrows, etc.
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| DIET: |
| Consists
chiefly of birds, iguanas, and monkeys.
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| LIFE
CYCLE/SOCIAL STRUCTURE: |
The
female boa constrictor bears her young alive (ovoviviparous) and has
been known to give birth to as many as 64 at one time. The young are
about 24 inches long.
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| SPECIAL
ADAPTATIONS: |
| Has
a keen sense of smell used to detect the presence of other animals.
It kills its prey by coiling around and suffocating rather than
crushing. As with other snakes, the boa's loosely hinged jaws can
be stretched far apart, enabling it to swallow animals with bodies
much larger in diameter than the boa's head.
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| INTERPRETIVE
INFORMATION: |
| Although
a wild boa constrictor will hiss and strike when provoked, it is
easily tamed and maintained in zoos. In South America it is kept
as a house pet to kill rats.
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| STATUS
IN WILD: |
| All
species of boids are endangered or restricted. Hunting for leather
and meat and the live animal trade has reduced their numbers as
has reduction of forest habitat. Captive breeding of boa constrictors
is on the increase at levels which should ensure survival of the
species.
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| Special
thanks to the Oakland Zoo website where most of this data was obtained.
Please visit them at http://www.oaklandzoo.org |
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