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Amazon tree boa

Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulanus) - Yasuni National Park, Ecuador

 

The family Boidae includes some of, and in fact THE largest snakes in the world. The really big species like anacondas and adult boa constrictors don't tend to climb so much and many of the other species stay low despite not attaining huge sizes (rainbow, rosy, rubber, etc boas). However, there's an entire genus of boas that don't get so big and are well adapted to life in the tree tops. There are 9 species and they all spend the vast majority of their time in the tree tops only infrequently descending to near ground level. While still quite hefty animals they remain comparatively slender compared to terrestrial boas of the same size and as adults feed largely on birds, arboreal mammals like mouse opossums, and other animals they encounter high above the ground.

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Uploaded on November 27, 2019
Taken on February 9, 2019