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This 6ft Hispaniola Boa snake was found in the Marina Casa de Campo!
But don’t panic she wasn’t found sliding around in any of the commercial areas of the Marina Casa de Campo, where you and I like to shop, eat, drink and set sail for Palmilla – she was found on the river shore, whilst the dock handlers were doing their routine check of the premises.
Once captured, the dock handlers brought her to the “Capitania del Puerto” office, where she was kept until they figured out what to do with her – and where our good friend Jesmin Botello took these photos. Thanks Jesmin!
Fortunately for the Hispaniola Boa, a fully grown female, who is approximately 6ft long and weighs 5 pounds, she was adopted by Altos de Chavón resident, Cecil DeHaas, who manages La Cantina Latin Bistro in Altos de Chavón.
“I adopted her because they wanted to chop it up and fry it! It’s diet consists mainly of small birds and rodents and I have her in a huge 45 gallon terrarium.”
— Cecil DeHaas
[We are not sure if the chopping and frying is a joke – but we hope so! Nevertheless we are very pleased that she has found a safe new home with Cecil!]
UPDATE: The Hispaniola Boa has now been taken to the Zoological Nacional (National Zoo) in Santo Domingo – click here for the full story!
Hispaniola Boa found in the Marina Casa de Campo
About The Hispaniola Boa
• The Hispaniola Boa snake is the largest snake species known to inhabit the Dominican Republic – but it is not poisonous
• Adults can grow up to eight feet in length.
• They may be pale brown, gray or dark red in color with gray, brown or black “spots”
• They are most typically found in dense tropical forests, near rivers, lakes and ponds
• They are nocturnal
• They feed on small vertebrates such as rodents, lizards and small birds
Snakes and other creepy crawlies in the Dominican Republic!
Despite the rather scary-looking nature of the Hispaniola Boa we’re talking about in this article, according to “common knowledge” there are no poisonous snakes, spiders or other animals living in the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, despite extensive googling I have been unable to verify this statement, but nevertheless do believe it to be true – if everyone says it then it must be true right?
Snakes known to inhabit the island of Hispaniola (the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti) are:
• The Hispaniola Boa
• The Blunthead Tree Snake
• La Hotte Blind Snake