Boa Constrictor in North America

Boa constrictors are native to Central and South America, but a few have made their way to North America. This is harmful to the ecosystem, but they post little danger to humans.

  1. Causes

    • Because boa constrictors cannot travel from South America to North America on their own, wildlife officials believe that they are pets that have been released into the wild or escaped from hurricane-damaged buildings. For example, genetic testing has found many of the escaped pythons living in Florida to be descendants of an original group that escaped from a warehouse that was destroyed by hurricane Andrew, and damaged homes and pet stores may have resulted in boas escaping, as well.

    Geography

    • Boa constrictors are native to a warm, humid climate and can survive in the southeastern United States, in areas like Florida.

    Identification

    • The snake most often associated with invading North America is the Burmese python, which came to North America in a similar manner. Boa constrictors are smaller and gray or tan in color, while the Burmese python is larger and brown.

    Significance

    • Any invasive species that can survive in a new environment can wreak havoc on the ecosystems by competing with top natural predators, like alligators, for food. The warm, humid climate in the southeastern United States allows the boas to thrive and reproduce and these snakes can essentially take over the food chain because nothing preys on them.