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Friday 1 august 2025 locAl
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             Snakes you may encounter on Aruba


            (Oranjestad)—If  you  have                                                                                          will keep away the unwant-
            ever  or  will  ever  go  off-                                                                                      ed  insects.  If  you  encoun-
            roading on the island, you                                                                                          ter  a  Santanero  around
            may encounter three types                                                                                           your garden, please do not
            of  snakes  that  are  domi-                                                                                        harm this species.
            nant on the island. The Cas-
            cabel,  Santanero  and  Boa                                                                                         Boa (Boa constrictor)
            differ  from  each  other  in                                                                                       Boas  are  Aruba’s  largest
            a  couple  ways,  and  local                                                                                        snakes.  The  longest  Boa
            perspective  on  each  one                                                                                          found  on  the  island  was
            may  help  you  understand                                                                                          slightly less than 3 m. New-
            what you need to do if you                                                                                          born Boas average 35 cm.
            ever were to encounter one                                                                                          Boas are not venomous but
            during your touring session                                                                                         are what is called constric-
            on the island.                                                                                                      tor snakes; they kill by wrap-
                                                                                                                                ping  themselves  around
            Cascabel (Crotalus unicol-                                                                                          a  prey  and  suffocating
            or)                                                                                                                 them.  The  most  distinctive
            The small Cascabel or Aru-                                                                                          feature of a Boa is its pat-
            ba Island Rattlesnake aver-                                                                                         tern of dark brown and tan
            ages  70  cm  in  length.  The                                                                                      blotches  which  become
            body color is often uniform                                                                                         red toward the tail. The bel-
            gray  or  light  brown.  There
            may  be  a  faint  pattern  of  alone.  Do  not  attempt  to
            diamond shaped markings  catch  or  kill  it,  as  it  could
            on the back. This pattern is  not only be dangerous, but
            most noticeable on young-    this  snake  is  also  endemic
            er snakes. The most distinc-  to the island, and its preser-
            tive feature of this snake is  vation has become a legal
            the  rattle  at  the  end  of  its  mandate  for  all  residents
            tail  which  makes  a  buzz-  and visitors.
            ing sound when the snake  Cascabels hunt by waiting
            is  alarmed.  Cascabels  are  under  bushes  and  fruiting
            shy  and  not  aggressive,  trees  to  catch  passing  liz-
            but  their  venom  can  be  ards,  mice,  rats,  small  rab-
            dangerous  to  humans.  In  bits,  and  an  occasional
            fact, it’s the only venomous  bird.  This  is  often  consid-
            snake  native  to  the  island.  ered to be one of the rarest
            It is best to leave this snake  rattlesnakes  in  the  world.

                                                                      The range of the Cascabel  The  slender  Santanero  or
                                                                      is  restricted  to  the  rugged  Aruban  Cat-eyed  Snake  is   ly in white or cream colored
                                                                      and  mountainous  areas  a  small  fella,  typically  less   with numerous black spots.
                                                                      of  the  island  mostly  within  than 50 cm long. This snake   Boas are excellent climbers
                                                                      Arikok  National  Park.  The  is recognizable by the large   and may be found in trees
                                                                      Arikok  National  Park  was  scales  on  the  top  of  its   and cactus. Boas also hide
                                                                      designated  in  the  early  head and by its pattern of    in the leaves under bushes
                                                                      1980s to include most of the  dark brown bands alternat-  waiting to catch prey that
                                                                      rattlesnake’s   population,  ing with light brown bands.   pass. Boas catch their prey
                                                                      providing  a  safe  refuge  in  The  belly  is  plain  white  or   with  their  teeth  and  then
                                                                      which  the  snake  can  be  cream colored without any     constrict it in their coils. The
                                                                      protected  and  monitored.  markings. Native as well to   Boa’s diet consists of birds,
                                                                      The  government  has  also  the island, this snake is shy   lizards, rats, mice, and rab-
                                                                      implemented      outreach  and  not  aggressive.  How-    bits. Large Boas have been
                                                                      and  education  initiatives  ever, it has enlarged teeth   known  to  eat  small  goats
                                                                      to  change  local  percep-   at  the  back  of  its  mouth   and chickens. When threat-
                                                                      tion of the snake and high-  and  mild  venom  which  is   ened, Boas will hiss loudly.
                                                                      light  its  ecological  and  not dangerous to humans,     Boas are a non-native spe-
                                                                      economic  importance  –  it  but  can  paralyze  small  liz-  cies and are invasive to the
                                                                      is  now  being  promoted  as  ards and frogs. Santaneros   island,  risking  the  popula-
                                                                      a national symbol. Arikok’s  are  most  active  at  night   tion  of  native  lizards  and
                                                                      partnership with the Toledo  when they search for food.   birds.  The  first  Boas  were
                                                                      zoo  has  safeguarded  the  During  the  day,  they  hide   reported  on  the  island  in
                                                                      rattlesnake  ex-situ  and  led  under rocks or leaves. They   1999.  Since  that  time  they
                                                                      to  a  number  of  research  frequently  climb  trees  and   have  been  found  across
                                                                      projects  collecting  critical  cactus.  Santaneros  eat   the entire island in all types
                                                                      data  on  the  Cascabel’s  toads,  frogs,  insects,  and   of habitats. If you ever en-
                                                                      abundance,     life   history  lizards.  You  may  find  San-  counter  a  Boa,  please  do
                                                                      and habitat requirement to  taneros  near  dams  during   not  approach  it.  Instead,
                                                                      help  guide  future  conser-  periods of rainy weather or   please  call  the  Arikok  Na-
                                                                      vation efforts.              crossing roads at night. This   tional  Park,  as  they  are
                                                                                                   snake is found island wide.   experienced  in  handling
                                                                      Santanero                    A Santanero in your garden   Boas.q
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