This was the "Big Guy."Long known as Epicrates angulifer, this long and hefty boa is now, like other West Indian Boas, in the genus Chilabothrus. Its common name of Cuban Boa has not been changed and it remains well known to hobbyists. They are live-bearing and may have up to 20+ young.

This boa is the largest and heaviest of the genus and may attain an adult length of 15 feet and an age of 25+ years. It ranges in the forestlands throughout Cuba and Cuba’s immediate islands. Although on an earlier trip in the dry season we had missed seeing this iconic taxon, some rain had fallen between then and now and we hoped that we would see at least one. We did. In fact we saw about a half a dozen, and these ranged from about 2 feet in length to—well let me tell you a bit about the largest one.

The group had spent a couple of hours on a trail known by the name of “Enigma of Rocks.” You may have never seen this trail, but the name alone should give you an idea of the complexity of passage. And somewhere along the trail a 5 foot long Cuban boa had been seen. Our group were happy campers.

We had been making our ways slowly back to the bus and were about ready to board when Luis, who had been chatting with a Forest Ranger, said ”One more stop—if you want to see a big boa.” Of course we did and within minutes we were on another rocky forest trail. A 15 minute walk took us to a “bat cave” and in front of the cave lay coiled the biggest Cuban Boa any of us had ever seen. We all agreed that the snake was at least 10 feet long (and probably longer) and its normally substantial girth was swollen even more by the prey it had eaten. The forest ranger guessed the prey to be an adult Hutia (as mentioned, a big rodent) and said the boa had been lying at the cave entrance for 4 days and that he expected that it would remain for another 4 or 5 days while digesting its meal.

And except to say all in the group felt that this sighting was well worth the walk and thanks Luis, that’s the story of our largest Cuban Boa.