Hogg Island Boa - wild type

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NAME: Boa constrictor spp.
COMMON NAME: Hogg Island Boa
IUCN REDLIST: Endangered
LOCATION: Wild, temporarily in conservation lab setting. Cayos Cochinos, Honduras.

Island boa subspecies are all considered endangered by the IUCN criteria, due to their population based on population & sub-population size. This subspecies of boa constrictor is found ONLY on the two islands of Cayos Cochinos (also known as the Hog Islands), just off Honduras. Due to it's rarity, it was a highly sought-after animal and collection for the pet-trade nearly wiped out the small population by 1988, in only 10 years of collection - so much so, that it was feared extinct (I find many sources still quoting it as 'still thought to be extinct'). Since 1993, it is now illegal to collect any of this species in the wild.

This individual here is a completely wild caught Hog Island Boa. It was captured temporarily as part of a population monitoring conservation project on this species, carried out annually, since 2004, by Operation Wallacea. We would find them, catch them, bring them back to the small lab on the island, and leave them overnight in a snake bag. Because they were unable to bask, they would cool down and not be as aggressive the next morning (temperatures on the island were very hot, even at night, so there was no harm done to these snakes). The next morning, we would measure them, sex them, record how many mites/tics they had (and removed them - as a service to the snake!) and finally we would microchip them. After the science work was done, we would go back out and release them where they had been caught. All this data (measurements + microchipping) gathered over a few years gives an idea of the lifespan, rate of growth (for individuals caught again and again - identified by the microchip!) and sex dynamics present (male:female ratio) in the population to determine whether the population has been increasing or decreasing over the years.

I'm pleased to inform you that there are estimated to be 700-1000 individuals in the wild...the population is increasing after the isalnd became protected and collection of them became illegal.

Nowadays, most Hog Island Boas you will find in captivity have been captive bred for years, so there's no worry of getting a wild one if you get it off a reputable breeder. It's a pity though that these days it's so hard to find these boas that look like their wild counterparts: so many have been bred with red-tail boas to bring out the colours. It is a natural dwarf species getting 4-6ft, and a natural hypo so has light colours over the body.