Snake encounter raises concerns over possible wildlife smuggling
The snake, according to an official of the earth-moving company, was a boa constrictor that was just about 18 inches in length although it looked much larger on Facebook since the photo was a close-up. It was caught on the West End of Tortola on Saturday July 4, 2015.
“It is not the bright tree boa that we know of in the BVI, it looked imported,” said the official who noted that he was aware that the snake was not poisonous but shared that he is of the belief that certain animals are either smuggled into the territory as pets and are sometimes loosed into the environment while some are accidentally brought into the territory via shipping cargo.
His fear is the impact that such foreign wildlife could have on the indigenous species.
“Right now you seeing a whole lot of iguanas on the island but this was not always the case. When we were growing up there were no iguanas on the island. It was like 15 to 20 years ago that it seems they were introduced,” the man said.
Reference was also made to the Cuban tree frog which the official said also has a presence in the Virgin Islands and often ended up in the territory in building blocks imported from Puerto Rico.
The Cuban tree frog, according to Wikipedia, is regarded as a highly invasive species as it is known to eat almost anything that will fit in its mouth and to mate year-round. Their arrival in a new community is believed to be detrimental to local species, and it has been suggested that these frogs be destroyed on sight upon their arrival in new habitats.
“These frogs eat our indigenous frogs, which we call the Bo Peep frogs,” the man, who is very knowledgeable on the environment and indigenous plants and animals of the VI, lamented to Virgin Islands News Online.
He also noted that there were actually eight snakes that were discovered at the weekend but only after the operator of a heavy earth moving machinery had crushed most of them unknowingly. "They were like in a nest."
The snake that escaped the machinery has made it large on Facebook, unfortunately posthumously as it was killed soon after by one of the employees, who reportedly feared it was too dangerous to let loose.
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41 Responses to “Snake encounter raises concerns over possible wildlife smuggling”
Also, that snake pictured IS a tree boa and it IS indigenous to the BVI. Both iguanas and tree boas are completely harmless. For heaven's sake, leave them be!
Hailed as a hero? The man should be prosecuted for killing an endangered animal! I wish people would educate themselves to their surroundings and learn what our islands have to offer.
The ignorant louse then killed the last remaining one because it was "dangerous" I have had 3 foot ones in my yard and left them be. They are a danger to mice and lizards thats all
18 inches or 18 Feet in length? As inches mean it's a but longer than a ruler lol.
If you have no idea of what you speak, please don't speak! It is a Virgin Islands tree boa and it is completely and utterly harmless - unless you keep geckos, lizards mice or rats as pets that is.
See: https://www.google.vg/search?q=virgin+islands+tree+boa&espv=2&biw=1041&bih=927&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=8ZucVc67G4mU-wHrnqzQBA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ
and http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/reptiles/Virgin_Islands_tree_boa/
and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Virgin-Islands-Tree-Boa/75436733617
Good lord! WHY won't people make an effort to inform themselves.