Scientific Name:
Chilabothrus angulifer
Distribution
Cuba and adjacent islands.
Diet:
Carnivore. birds, rodents, bats, lizards, small snakes.
Facts
Habitat: Rainforest, dry woodland, rocky habitats.
Gestation: ~4 months, 1-7 young
Social structure: Social
Weight: 27kg max
Dimensions: 2-4.8m
Lifespan: 22.6 max under human care
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
Estimated population in the wild: Unknown
Threats: Persecuted and killed on sight by local villagers to protect their poultry.
Did you know that:
- They are "ovoviviparous," meaning their eggs stay inside the mother's body until
- they're ready to hatch, after which she gives birth to live young.
- Recent research indicates that they hunt in groups, by taking coordinated positions in the entrance of caves in order to grab bats as they fly in and out of the cave. This way they make their hunting much more effective. This research was the first documented instance of deliberate pack behavior in snakes.