Perhaps it was trying to escape or perhaps it fell by accident, but the surprise of the Alicante neighborhood when they realized that a boa constrictor had fallen from a terrace must have been enormous. It happened in Alicante, and it had to be the Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard who came to take care of the dangerous specimen.
The next thing was to deliver the snake, a species abundant in the Amazon and which can measure up to five meters, to the experts, specifically, to the Herpetology department of the Terra Natura nature and animal park in Benidorm. It will remain there temporarily until the Administration determines a definitive location for it.
The Seprona agents contacted Terra Natura Benidorm to take in and care for the boa until they found a new space for it. This snake is characterized by killing its prey through constriction, squeezing them with its body until it manages to strangle them.
As soon as it was transferred to Terra Natura Benidorm, the head of Herpetology David Martí identified it as a species included in the CITES II annex, whose possession is prescribed for individuals by the recent animal welfare law. The park's veterinarians have proceeded to perform a series of tests on the boa to confirm the animal's state of health. Likewise, the veterinary examination has been used to incorporate a microchip and thus have it properly identified.
David Martí has stressed that “these animals are complex to care for. Many parameters and factors must be taken into account to achieve an adequate habitat and degree of well-being for these snakes, so they should not be kept in homes as if they were a pet."
The nature park's team of herpetologists has extensive experience in the management and care of this species. The public who comes to the park these days will be able to observe this boa constrictor in one of the terrariums that are part of the permanent exhibition of poisonous creatures at Terra Natura Benidorm, located inside the volcano in the Pangea area.
Illegal trafficking and possession of species, as explained by the Civil Guard, "can mean those responsible face administrative and criminal consequences. In addition, it can pose serious risks to security when the care and security measures are not provided." appropriate to its special characteristics".
