Boa imperator Central American Boa
Also known as:
Boa Constrictor
This species used to be considered a subspecies of Boa constrictor, which is one of those rare species whose scientific name is the same as its standard English name. Now Boa imperator is generally considered a distinct species, though it is still often just called "Boa Constrictor".
near Álamos, Sonora, MexicoAugust 23, 2017
Central American Boa (Boa imperator) Central American Boa (Boa imperator) Central American Boa (Boa imperator)
This was the snake species I most hoped to see on this trip. They aren't rare by any means, but they are iconic (though slightly less iconic after they were split out from Boa constrictor, which is now confined to South America). I hadn't come across any Boa in my various travels to Costa Rica, Belize, Peru, southern Florida, etc., and we had been looking for a few nights before coming across this docile fellow. I don't know why it decided to try to climb up into the sky. Perhaps it thought it was a lyre snake.
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