Acrantophis madagascariensis

Northern Madagaskarboa ( Acrantophis madagascariensis )

The Northern Madagaskarboa ( Acrantophis madagascariensis ) is a Headquartered in northern Madagascar boa constrictor. It is assigned to the subfamily of boa snakes and put there in the genus Acrantophis. It is equipped with up to three meters, the largest, domiciled on the island of Boa - kind.

Description

The ground color is pale red-brown, mixed with gray. On the back there are black or dark brown diamonds sometimes forming an indistinct zigzag pattern. Located laterally oval black, white -edged spots. The body is solid and stocky. The head is clearly separated from the body. The pupils are slit vertically. The tail is short, side of the cloaca are the anal spurs.

It can reach an overall length of up to 300 cm, but is usually significantly smaller with 250 cm to 270 cm. It is therefore but significantly larger than their Schwesternart the South Madagaskarboa, too, is built strong and slightly lighter in color than this. The females are, as with most snakes slightly larger and heavier than the males.

Dissemination

The distribution area of ​​Northern Madagsakarboa stretches across the northern and central Madagascar. She lives next to the island of Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands not far distant, but also on the island of Réunion already presence of this species were recorded. The habitat of these animals are the dry areas of northern and central Madagascar, where the temperature between the day and the seasons varies greatly.

Way of life

The Northern Madagaskarboa is a crepuscular and nocturnal snake. On the day she hides mostly under dense foliage or she crawls in caves and wait for the night. It is also an ambush predator, which means that the animals are not active on the hunt, but well camouflaged leave only their head sticking out from a hiding place. So they wait patiently until a prey in the hunting area goes. This is then packed and quickly nipped in the typical stranglehold. The pups are still very good climbers and this skill is also used frequently. This ability but presents with increasing age slowly. Then they climb only rarely on trees or shrubs. You spend ages mostly the entire time of their lives on the ground, where they usually stay hidden in the dry leaves.

System

The Northern Madagaskarboa ( Acrantophis madagascariensis ) is placed in the family of boas ( Boidae ). Here she is ranked in the subfamily of the boa snakes ( Boinae ). There it will be divided, together with the Southern Madagaskarboa ( Acrantophis dumerili ) in the genre of Madagaskarboas ( Acrantophis ).

See also classification of snakes

Protection status

Because the natural habitat of the animals is strongly disturbed on the island and is destroyed in an ever increasing extent this species was strongly protected. Both Acranthopis species were included in Annex -A of the Washington Convention, and also enjoy as Annex -A species of European Wildlife Trade Regulation the highest protection status.

This means that the Northern Madagaskarboa may not be held without the approval of the competent authority in Germany. During transport the animals, and the authorization of the competent national authority must be present, in addition exists for wild specimens a separate Flaunt and marketing ban. When you import or export of the species Acrantophis special provisions apply. There must be an approval of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, additionally requires the Federal Species Protection Ordinance that reptile species listed in Annex A of the European species protection regulation must be labeled for the purpose of recognition of the animal. In Austria there is new since the animal welfare law ' a general reporting obligation for reptiles. As a rule, this notification obligation applies through an informal e -mail to the official veterinarian to be satisfied.