Kenyan Sand Boa - The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Gongylophis colubrinus loveridgeiKenyan Sand BoaClass: Reptilia. Order: Squamata. Family: Boidae.Other names: Egyptian Sand Boa; East African Sand BoaPhysical Description: Sand boas have stout bodies and are competentburrowers. They have small eyes and hard small scales to protect theirskin from the grit of sand. There is a great deal of sexual dimorphism,females generally becoming much larger than males. Most growaround 2 feet in length.The boas are members of the family of snakes called Boidea which is represented by about 40 species ofsnakes. The name boidea is derived from a traditional Brazilian language that described the anaconda asmboi. Members of this family are found in the tropics of the Americas, Africa, Madagascar, Asia and a fewspecies on the West coast of North America. They range in size from sand boas which seldom grow morethan 3 feet in length to one of the largest snakes in the world, the anaconda, which has been recorded atover 35 feet long!Diet in the Wild: Their primary diet consists of rodents, but they have also been known to prey on lizardsand birdsDiet at the Zoo: miceHabitat & Range: Found in eastern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Niger,Egypt and Lybia. They are only found in low altitude areas. The majority spend much of their time baskingbelow the surface of the sand, with only their eyes or head exposed on the surface. When a potential preyapproaches they erupt out of the sand, bite and subdue their prey by constriction.Life Span: They live around 20 years or more in captivity.Perils in the wild: Predators such as birds of prey, small mammals and other reptiles all can prey on youngsnakes of any species. Human activity can also have a negative effect on snakes in the wild.Physical Adaptations:Sand boas have a Jacobson’s organ, pair of pit-like organs on the roof of the mouth that are linedwith olfactory cells and nerves that interpret chemical stimuli in an animal’s surroundings.Their forked tongue, flickering through the air, picks up scent particles and conveys them to the roofof their mouthBehavioral Adaptations:Sand boas are nocturnal.Kenyan sand boas spend most of their time in shallow burrows with only its head exposed. The eyesand nostrils of the snake are placed so that they are clear of debris when the snake is hiddenbeneath the sand. Prey is seized when it passes within range and is killed by constriction. During thehotter months, Kenyan sand boas seek refuge under clumps of vegetation, beneath stones, or in04/2013

04/2013mammal burrows.Reproduction and Development:Sand boas are generally ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young, after the eggs hatch inside of thematernal parent. Young will have dark distinctive bands that will disappear as they age.Additional Information:Fossil evidence of sand boas have been found in rock strata over 50 million years old and werewidespread in North American. Now, only 2 species remain in North America as well as the sandboas in Africa, Asia and southeastern Europe.Are boas or and python family?Some herpetologists (a scientist who studies snakes) divide the pythons and boas into separatefamilies or subfamilies. Which ever classification scheme one adheres to, the boas and pythons areclosely related snakes. What is similar is that they are all primitive snakes with similar physicalcharacteristics. What is different is the New World boas are bear live young while the Old Worldpythons are egg laying.Ecological Role of Reptiles:Snakes play an important role as both prey and predator in ecosystems all over the world. They canbe very important in regulating the populations of pest species such as rodents which are commonaround human activity.Don’t buy pets if you don’t know where they are from – ongoing trade in reptile products has a hugeeffect on the numbers of valuable species in the wild. Even buying tropical species from legalsources increases demand and encourages illegal trading.Conservation Status: (IUCN Status):Not AssessedConservation Efforts:N/Aboidea - The family level of classification snakes described as boas. Boidea is represented by about 40species of snakes.Jacobson’s organ- A pair of pit-like organs on the roof of the mouth that are lined with olfactory cells andnerves that interpret chemical stimuli in an animal’s surroundings.ovoviviparity. Adj. ovoviviparous – Reproduction where the eggs develop within the maternal bodywithout outside nourishment and hatch within the parent or immediately after laying.Sources:Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardenshttp://www.rightpet.com/ReptileDetail/kenyan-sand-boaHickman, C.P. Roberts, L.S. 1994. Biology of AnimalsHalliday, T. Adler, K. 1986. The Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians.