Latest news with #boaConstrictor
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
1.5-metre-long boa constrictor found on the loose in provincial park near Comox, B.C.
Conservation officers successfully wrangled a 1.5-metre-long boa constrictor near Comox on Vancouver Island on Thursday. Officers were alerted to a "potential large snake on the loose" in Miracle Beach Provincial Park, about 150 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, according to a Facebook post from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS). Some trails were temporarily closed, and park visitors were turned away at trail entrances, while officers searched for the snake. Conservation officers are investigating the circumstances of the loose snake. The COS said it does not believe the incident is linked to a boa constrictor that was recently captured in Tofino, B.C. Because of the boa constrictor's length, it is considered to be a "restricted reptile," which means that it cannot be released under any circumstances under the Controlled Alien Species regulation, according to the COS. The boa constrictor is now in the care of the Comox Valley SPCA. Sara Dubois, senior director for animal welfare science at the B.C. SPCA, said the snake appears to be healthy. But cold-blooded reptiles, like boa constrictors raised in captivity, can't survive for long outside in B.C.'s cool climate, which is very unlike their native South America. "They shouldn't be living in the wild of Canada, that's for sure," Dubois said. She said a boa constrictor (which is constrictive but not venomous) could prey on small animals if left in the wild, but it could also fail at hunting due to being raised in captivity. Dubois noted there is a four-day legal impound period that gives the owner an opportunity to find their lost pet, if the animal escaped by accident, before the snake can be put up for adoption. If it's found that the snake was intentionally abandoned, Dubois said, a series of investigations would occur. Dubois noted it's illegal to dump animals, and abandonment falls under animal cruelty legislation. Because the snake is less than three metres long, it doesn't require a permit to own under the Controlled Alien Species Regulation, according to Dubois. But she said the SPCA asks very detailed questions of potential exotic pet adopters. They usually already have an appropriate setup, including veterinary care, and extensive knowledge of these species. "Very few people have the expertise to properly care for them," Dubois said. The SPCA discourages people from buying exotic pets, particularly from pet stores. "Sometimes it seems like it's going to be an easy pet, but these exotic animals have really specialized needs," she said. "They're not an animal you should have as a pet."
CBC
12 hours ago
- General
- CBC
1.5-metre-long boa constrictor found on the loose in provincial park near Comox, B.C.
Conservation officers successfully wrangled a 1.5-metre-long boa constrictor near Comox on Vancouver Island on Thursday. Officers were alerted to a "potential large snake on the loose" in Miracle Beach Provincial Park, about 150 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, according to a Facebook post from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS). Some trails were temporarily closed, and park visitors were turned away at trail entrances, while officers searched for the snake. Conservation officers are investigating the circumstances of the loose snake. The COS said it does not believe the incident is linked to a boa constrictor that was recently captured in Tofino, B.C. Because of the boa constrictor's length, it is considered to be a "restricted reptile," which means that it cannot be released under any circumstances under the Controlled Alien Species regulation, according to the COS. The boa constrictor is now in the care of the Comox Valley SPCA. SPCA discourages buying exotic pets Sara Dubois, senior director for animal welfare science at the B.C. SPCA, said the snake appears to be healthy. But cold-blooded reptiles, like boa constrictors raised in captivity, can't survive for long outside in B.C.'s cool climate, which is very unlike their native South America. "They shouldn't be living in the wild of Canada, that's for sure," Dubois said. She said a boa constrictor (which is constrictive but not venomous) could prey on small animals if left in the wild, but it could also fail at hunting due to being raised in captivity. Dubois noted there is a four-day legal impound period that gives the owner an opportunity to find their lost pet, if the animal escaped by accident, before the snake can be put up for adoption. If it's found that the snake was intentionally abandoned, Dubois said, a series of investigations would occur. Dubois noted it's illegal to dump animals, and abandonment falls under animal cruelty legislation. Because the snake is less than three metres long, it doesn't require a permit to own under the Controlled Alien Species Regulation, according to Dubois. But she said the SPCA asks very detailed questions of potential exotic pet adopters. They usually already have an appropriate setup, including veterinary care, and extensive knowledge of these species. "Very few people have the expertise to properly care for them," Dubois said. The SPCA discourages people from buying exotic pets, particularly from pet stores. "Sometimes it seems like it's going to be an easy pet, but these exotic animals have really specialized needs," she said.
CTV News
20 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Authorities investigating after large boa constrictor captured in B.C. park
The conservation service says its officers receive special training in the proper handling of a variety of exotic animals that fall under the Controlled Alien Species regulations. (Handout) Conservation officers in British Columbia are investigating after a large boa constrictor was located and captured in a provincial park on Vancouver Island. A statement from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says the agency 'safely captured' the five-foot snake that was loose in Miracle Beach Provincial Park on Thursday. The agency says it co-ordinated its response with provincial parks staff to close hiking trails and stop visitors from entering the Black Creek-area park while officers searched for the exotic and potentially dangerous reptile. The snake was found and captured at approximately 1 p.m., and was taken to the Comox Valley SPCA after consulting with a provincial wildlife veterinarian, the conservation office said. 'Due to its length, the boa constrictor was determined to be a restricted reptile under the Controlled Alien Species regulation, which means that while a permit is not required to own it, they cannot be released under any circumstances,' the statement said. The office says it is investigating the circumstances of the snake's release, which 'may result in enforcement action' against the animal's owner. 'It is not the first time the COS has seized exotic animals,' the agency added. 'Over the last 10-plus years, officers have captured lions, alligators and monkeys.' The conservation office said the incident is not believed to be related to an incident earlier this month, in which a boa constrictor was reported missing at a beach near Tofino. That snake, estimated at six feet in length, later turned up in its owner's kayak. The conservation service says its officers receive special training in the proper handling of a variety of exotic animals that fall under the Controlled Alien Species regulations. Such species are not native to B.C. and are therefore not considered wildlife.
CTV News
15-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Boa constrictor Bailey, reported missing at B.C. beach, turns up in owner's kayak
This photo posted to Facebook by the Coastal Animal Rescue & Education Network shows Bailey, a boa constrictor that briefly went missing. (Credit: Facebook//coastalanimalrescue) Bailey the boa constrictor has turned up safe in its owner's kayak after being reported missing at a beach in Tofino, B.C., this week. James Rodgers, co-founder of the Coastal Animal Rescue and Education Network, says the owner who reported the six-foot reptile missing on Sunday found it on Wednesday. Rodgers says it's likely the snake slipped into the kayak, which its owner also brought to a beach, on the day it was thought to have gone missing. He says it is not clear how someone could miss a six-foot-long snake inside a kayak. The network says in a social media post that Bailey had been 'snoozing' in the kayak. It says the snake is 13 years old and 'a little small' for its age. This report by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published June 13, 2025.
CBS News
26-05-2025
- CBS News
Escaped boa constrictor hit and killed by motorist northwest of Twin Cities, police say
Police in the northwestern Twin Cities suburbs say the recovery of a large snake was a "first" for their department. In a social media post Sunday, Big Lake police say a boa constrictor was hit and killed by a motorist after it likely escaped a family home. The police department thanked officer William Saliterman for recovering the snake. "We don't run into too many boa constrictors here in Minnesota so this is a first for Big Lake PD," the social media post said. A picture shows Saliterman holding up the snake, which appears to be at least 5 feet long. Further details are limited. WCCO has reached out to Big Lake police for more information. We don't run into too many boa constrictors here in Minnesota so this is a first for Big Lake PD! Obviously it must have... Posted by Big Lake Police Department on Sunday, May 25, 2025 Boa constrictors can grow up to 13 feet in length and weigh more than 100 pounds when fully grown, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. They can live 20 to 30 years in the wild and are found from northern Mexico to Argentina.
