Reptiles
Madagascar Tree Boa
Sanzinia madagascariensis · also called malagasy tree boa
Coiled motionless on a rainforest branch, a Madagascar tree boa waits for a bird or bat to pass within striking range, its heat-sensing pits picking up the warmth of prey long before its eyes could spot it in the dark.
Overview
The Madagascar tree boa, Sanzinia madagascariensis, is a Vulnerable snake endemic to rainforest across eastern and northern Madagascar. Its striking colour change from bright orange at birth to green or brown as an adult, mostly arboreal lifestyle, and heat-sensing ambush hunting style make it one of the island’s most distinctive reptiles.
A snake that changes colour as it grows
Few snakes show as dramatic a colour shift as the Madagascar tree boa, hatching in a bright orange or reddish shade before gradually darkening to green or brown tones over the following months and years.
Status
Vulnerable, with a declining population threatened by deforestation and collection pressure for the exotic pet trade, though still found across parts of its native range.
Madagascar Tree Boa: common questions
Why is the Madagascar tree boa a different colour as a newborn?
Newborns are born bright orange or reddish, a colouration that gradually darkens to green or brown as the snake matures, the reason for this shift is not fully understood but may relate to camouflage needs changing with age or size.
How does the Madagascar tree boa hunt?
It is an ambush predator, waiting motionless coiled on a branch for birds, bats, or small mammals to pass close enough to strike, using heat-sensing pits along its jaw to detect warm-blooded prey in low light.
Does the Madagascar tree boa spend much time on the ground?
No, it is mostly arboreal, spending the great majority of its life coiled in trees and shrubs and rarely descending to the forest floor.
Is the Madagascar tree boa found anywhere outside Madagascar?
No, it is endemic to the island, found only in rainforest across eastern and northern Madagascar.