El Yunque National Forest

Photo:  El Yunque National Forest Archive

Puerto Rican Boa (Eng.), Culebrón, Boa de Puerto Rico (Sp.), Epicrates inornatus (sci.)
Information compiled by Alan Mowbray, Interpretive Media Writer, EYNF/LEF

General Information:
The Puerto Rican Boa belongs to the Boidae family, one of the three families of snakes that exist on the island of Puerto Rico. Boidae are a primitive family of snakes whose members can be readily distinguished from all other native snakes by a unique head shape and disorderly scale arrangement.

Description:
The Puerto Rican Boa or "culebrón" is the largest native species of snake, and one of only three Boidae on the island. It typically grows to a length of 6 or 7 feet, although 12 foot long specimens have been reported. The Boa's color varies from tan to dark brown with 70 to 80 crossbars or spots which are outlined in very dark brown.

Habits:
The Puerto Rican Boa feeds on rats, mice and bats. When very young its feeding is limited to small lizards, insects and other invertebrates. Snakes engulf their prey intact, almost always starting with the head, Constrictors like the Puerto Rican Boa are non-poisonous, and kill their prey by asphyxiating them by encircling them with the powerful coils of their body. It is not known whether the Boa can kill the agile Mongoose, but the Mongoose does not seem to have caused a serious threat to the Boa population.

Habitat:
The Puerto Rican Boa may be found on the ground or in trees. In some areas of the forest the Boa hangs from branches, vines and rock ledges at the mouths of caves and when bats brush by them or collide with them they capture and eat them.

Look for it in the EYNF:
Boas are not easily seen in the forest but they have been encountered during daylight hours stretched out on a tree branch near Yokahu tower.

Additional Information:
Rivero, Juan A., 1998; The Amphibians and Reptiles of Puerto Rico, Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 2nd Edition