Range:

Throughout Madagascar

Habitat:

They live in forested areas near rivers, streams, ponds and swamps.

Characteristics:

At birth, tree boas are bright red and become green as they mature.  Although researchers are not sure why these snakes change colors, a possible theory is that the red color helps camouflage them among the flowers in the treetops.

 

Behavior:

Unlike most snakes, the tree boa is active at night.  It spends a great deal of thime wrapped around tree branches using its prehensile tail to hold on.

Tree boas are constrictors, meaning that they use their teeth to catch their prey and then wrap their bodies around it and squeeze it so that they prey cannnot expand its lungs and suffocates.  The snake then unhinges its jaws and swallows the prey head first.  To help the constrictor to breathe, it has a special tube in the bottom of its mouth that allows air to travel to its lungs, while ingesting prey.

 

Conservation Connection:

Found only on the island of Madagascar, this snake species is endangered.  The expansion of farming and development has greatly reduced the forests where they make their home.  In fact, only 15 percent of the forest these snakes live in remain.