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Southern Company River Scout
Emerald tree boa
(Corallus caninus)
The emerald tree boa occurs in parts of northern South America from Brazil to Bolivia. It is found in wet lowland rain forests that receive a lot of precipitation. This boa is an arboreal species that spends most of its life in trees and bushes. It has a brilliant green color with irregular white markings on its back. Its belly is yellow.
Typically, the green boa will spend the day coiled into a ball on top of a branch. At night, it extends its head downward and waits for prey to pass close by. It strikes quickly, grasping its unfortunate prey with its mouth and then pulls it to its body. This snake is a constrictor so it coils its body around the prey and squeezes it to death.
Come to the Aquarium to see this beautiful snake in its own exhibit in the River Scout gallery.
Fun Facts
- The adult emerald green boa usually reaches 6 feet in length. Occasionally, nine-foot specimens have been encountered in parts of the Amazon basin.
- It is not venomous, but its long curved teeth can inflict a painful bite.
- The female boa gives birth to live young, each about one foot long.
- The young are orange in color and gradually turn green as they grow.
- The green boa may live 15 to 20 years in a zoological environment.
- Download full fact sheet
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