- Origin: Central and South America
- Class: Reptiles
- Order: Squamates
- Suborder: Ophidiens
Native to Central and South America, this snake can be found from south-east Mexico to Ecuador. Its habitat is very diverse, and it can be found near the sea as well as in tropical forests, on plains and at altitudes of up to 1,500 meters.
The female is larger than the male, reaching length of over 3 meters and weighing around 17 kilos.
This snake is ovoviviparous, giving birth to between 10 to 70 babies per clutch. Hatchlings are formed and immediately independent.
Because of its beautiful size and choice of colours, this large species has been very successful as a “pet”, as it is docile and easy to live in captivity. The species was eventually introduced to other countries such as Florida.
IUCN Status : least concern (Appendix III)