Dumeril’s Ground Boa - Acrantophis dumerili
Habitat:
Along the western coast and southwestern regions of Madagascar, it is found in a semi-arid habitat that gets fairly low amounts of rainfall.
Range:
Madagascar and Reunion
Activity Cycle:
Nocturnal
Features:
Dumeril's boa has a gray-brown ground color with darker patches. The patchy pattern offers camouflage against the leaf-strewn forest floor. It has the vertical pupils of a nocturnal animal.
Size:
4-7 feet in length
Social Structure:
Solitary
Life Expectancy:
Up to 30 years in captivity
Diet:
Dumeril's boa is a nocturnal hunter. It seems to prefer smaller animals like birds and lizards. Like other boas, it subdues its prey by constriction, which prevents the prey from breathing.
Reproduction:
Males usually have longer flatter tails, while females have bigger bodies (used in order to store eggs). Sexual maturity is reached between 3 and 5 years of age. Males have "spurs" (vestigial hind limbs) used for courtship. Their mating season is March through May. Males have two penises (these are called hemipenes). Boas are live bearers; a small litter of babies (7-9) is born 6 to 8 months after mating.
Status:
They are listed as "least concern" according to the IUCN and "Appendix I" on CITES.
Interesting Facts:
- The name for Dumeril’s boa in Malagash, the native language of Madagascar, is “do,” pronounced like “dough!”
- Dumeril’s boas have been kept by some local peoples to help control rodents. In other areas they are greatly feared and killed whenever possible, even though they are not dangerous to humans!
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