{"id":8010,"date":"2021-01-29T20:02:11","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T19:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.madamagazine.com\/?p=8010"},"modified":"2022-02-05T20:56:07","modified_gmt":"2022-02-05T19:56:07","slug":"die-riesenschlangen-der-roten-insel-madagaskarboas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.madamagazine.com\/en\/die-riesenschlangen-der-roten-insel-madagaskarboas\/","title":{"rendered":"The giant snakes of the red island: Madagascar boas"},"content":{"rendered":"

A bit scary at first sight, but actually always friendly-minded: Madagascar Ground Boas are the largest snakes<\/a> in Madagascar. Especially large females on Nosy Mangabe<\/a> reach up to 15 kilograms bodyweight! Nevertheless, Madagascar boas are completely harmless to humans.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Female Acrantophis madagascariensis<\/em> weighing about eight kilograms in the dry forest of Ankarana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are two species of Acrantophis<\/em>: the Malagasy Ground Boa (Acrantophis madagascariensis<\/em>) lives in the humid<\/a> north<\/a> of the island, while the Dumeril’s boa (Acrantophis dumerili<\/em>) lives in the hot<\/a> and dry south<\/a> of Madagascar. The two species differ in appearance, especially in color, just as clearly in size. With up to 2.70 m,\u00a0 substantially larger animals are described in the Malagasy Ground Boa than in the southern species, from which scientists discovered so far only individuals with up to 1.90 m length. However, both are maximum values. Most Madagascar boas found in the forest are smaller.<\/p>\n

At a few years, Madagascar boas are sexually mature. They mate during the rainy season<\/a>. Males and females meet only to mate and then crawl their separate ways again. The pregnancy lasts until the next rainy season (six to nine months). Then the food supply is again optimal for the young. The female gives birth to six to eight live little boas in the wild. The young snakes are already a good half-meter long at birth. The young of Dumeril’s boa are usually somewhat smaller. Already on their first day of life, the small snakes shed their skin for the first time. They strip off their entire old skin like a dry sock. Underneath, the beautiful, shiny new skin is already waiting. Young Madagascar Boas are immediately independent. They still like to climb very well, which enables them to better protect themselves from prey predators such as Fossa<\/a>, birds of prey<\/a>, and other snakes<\/a>. They lose this ability with age and body weight.<\/p>\n