Reptiles of the Turks and Caicos Islands

Turks Island Rainbow Boa

Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster

 

Definition: A subspecies of the Southern Bahamas Boa, found only in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Local Names: Rainbow Boa, Bahamas Cat Boa, Rainbow Snake, Fowl Snake

 

Basic Information:
The Turks Island Boa are members of the Boa family, though they are smaller than many of their relatives. Turks Island Boas are a subspecies of the Southern Bahamas Boa, and are found only in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The other Southern Bahamas Boa subspecies are found in Great Inagua and the Crooked-Acklins Islands.

Though originally reported from Grand Turk, the Turks Island Boa now appears to be only found on islands on the Caicos Bank and a few of the Turks Cays. Turks Island Boas are nocturnal, and actively forage for lizards, birds, and rodents- they can even eat iguanas! They prefer either tropical dry forest habitat or scrub vegetation with plenty of large, flat rocks. This is TCI’s largest snake, reaching a maximum size of over 70 inches (178cm) or more, but more often they are around 32 inches (80cm) long.

There are three color morphs of this species: spotted, striped, and no-pattern. The spotted version seems to be the most common, followed by striped and finally the very uncommon no-pattern snakes, which are mostly solid grey with a few dark markings. Juveniles are orange or red and long and thin. Rarely, some adults will retain the juvenile coloration.
Photo by: Matthew Niemiller

 
Current and probable distribution of Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Triangles represent known populations of boas, while squares denote probable occurrences. The circle around the Turks Cays indicates that at least one population is known to occur, while other cays in the group might support additional populations. Figure modified from: Reynolds and Gerber (In Process).

 

Threats:
1) Introduced Predators. Turks Island Boas are extremely vulnerable to predation by cats and rats. House cats can decimate or exterminate populations of boas on small islands.

2) Human Persecution. People are often afraid of snakes and will kill them on site, mistakenly believing that they are poisonous, harmful, or demonic entities. They are none of these, in fact, they are harmless, non poisonous, and are incredibly handsome and beautiful creatures.

3) Habitat loss. The Turks and Caicos Islands are being developed at an astounding rate. Boas must compete with people for habitat and suitable places to live. Because they are very slow moving, snakes are easily killed when trying to cross the roads that run through their habitat. They cannot dodge passing cars, and a road through their habitat can lead to the loss of most of the adults in the population in just a few years.


Juvenile Turks Island Boa (Provo)
Photo by: R. Graham Reynolds
 
     
Unusual red-phase adult female from Providenciales, killed by utility workers
Photo by: Brian Riggs, DECR
 

 

Articles and Blogs:

Protecting the Rainbow Boa

Turks and Caicos Weekly News, pg 20

March 21-27, 2009 (click for .pdf)

Boas in the Caribbean

San Diego Zoo Blog

Author: Dr. Glenn Gerber, C.R.E.S.

Turks and Caicos Sun, pg. 25

March 21-27, 2009 (click for .pdf)

TCI Net News

March 16, 2009

Colorful Conservation for the Rainbow Boa

San Diego Zoo's Institutite for Conservation Reseach

 

Reference List:
Buden, D.W. 1975. Notes on Epicrates chrysogaster (Serpentes: Boidae) of the Southern
      Bahamas, with description of a new species. Herpetologica 31: 166-177.
Greene, H.W. 1997. Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature. University of California
     Press, Berkeley, California.
Henderson, R.W. and R. Powell. 2007. The biology of the boas and pythons: A retrospective
     look to the future. In: Henderson, R.W. and R. Powell (eds.) Biology of the Boas and
     Pythons. Eagle Mountain Publishing, L.C. Eagle Mountain, Utah, USA. Pgs. 3-24.
McCloud, R. 2008. “Saving Harley.” Green Pages, Newsletter of the Department of
     Environment and Costal Resources. Times of the Islands, Summer 2008: 52-53.
Mitchell, N.C. 2000. Geographic Distribution. Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster.
     Herpetological Review 31: 255.
Reynolds, R.G. 2008. The Snakes of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Brochure for the National
     Environmental Centre on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. PDF
Reynolds, R.G. and G.P. Gerber. In Process. Notes on a notable small satellite-island
     population of Turks Island Boas (Epicrates c. chrysogaster) facing severe anthropogenic
     disturbance.
Reynolds, R.G. and M. L. Niemiller. In Review. Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster.
     (Turks Island Boa). Diet.
Reynolds, R.G., M. L. Niemiller, and B. N. Manco. In Review. Epicrates chrysogaster
     chrysogaster. (Turks Island Boa). Record Size.
Schwartz, A and R.W. Henderson. 1992. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies:
     Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, FL.
Sheplan, B.R. and A. Schwartz. 1974. Hispaniolan Boas of the genus Epicrates
     (Serpentes:Boidae) and their Antillean relationships. Annals of the Carnegie Museum 45:
     57-141.
Tolson, P.J. and R.W. Henderson. 1993. The Natural History of West Indian Boas. R&A
     Publishing Ltd. Taunton, Somerset, England.
Tolson, P.J. and R.W. Henderson. 2006. An overview of snake conservation in the West
     Indies. Applied Herpetology. 3: 345-356.

 

 

Free Brochure:

click to download .pdf

Site Author:

R. Graham Reynolds
University of Tennessee, USA

All Photos Copyright:

R. Graham Reynolds and Matthew Niemiller and may not be used without written consent.

To use the photos in this web document, please contact the author at: reptiles@utk.edu.