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Animal profile

Boa Constrictor

Boa constrictor

ReptiliaTropical forest, dry woodland, savanna and agricultural edge, from sea level to montane slopesLeast Concern

Field profile

The boa constrictor is a heavy-bodied New World snake with a distinctive pattern of dark saddles that darken towards the tail. It occupies an unusually wide range of habitats and elevations. Unlike pythons, boas bear live young rather than laying eggs.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-02-01

Boa Constrictor

Constriction stops circulation, not just breathing

The long-standing account of constriction as suffocation is incomplete. Measurements in boa constrictors show that coiling drives prey blood pressure into a collapse severe enough to stop the heart, killing far faster than asphyxiation alone would.

Read with evidence →

Boa Constrictor | Daily Animal Facts