LYNN HAVEN — With the serpent slithering away somewhere, experts are on standby to capture a boa constrictor thought to be lurking in Lynn Haven.
“We’ve got a couple of people standing by that have agreed to capture the snake if it is reported,” Stan Kirkland, regional director at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), said Monday.
FWC has gotten only one phone call since the red-tailed boa constrictor’s 8½-foot shed was found by neighborhood residents near Davis Lake early last week. FWC suspects the boa was released in the wild by a former owner, but no one has stepped forward to claim the snake.
Despite a number of incidents and fatalities across the state caused by boas, which are carnivorous and can grow up to 13 feet long, FWC officials repeatedly have stated the snake is not a threat to human life.
According to a 2012 report by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), since 1978, 17 people have died and scores of children and adults have been injured in constrictor-related incidents. However, a number of those incidents were caused by large pythons, which were banned by the federal government two years ago, along with yellow anacondas,and northern and southern African pythons.
Resident Kristi Chaplik, who lives on Davis Lake on Wisconsin Avenue, said officials on an airboat appeared to be looking for the snake last week and an animal control representative had come by Monday soon after the shed was discovered.
“She told us, ‘Watch your little dogs; keep them safe,’ and to let them know if we see the snake,” Chaplik said. “I kind of laughed; we’re not worried about it honestly.”
Her three sons — ages 11, 13 and 16 — are not scared of a possible encounter with the snake, she said; her two miniature Schnauzers, at 5 and 7 pounds, are normally leashed or taken out for walks.
“If we see it, we’ll either kill it or call animal control,” Chaplik said of the snake.
Although the boa constrictor isn’t likely to attack a human being or even a small pet, according to FWC wildlife coordinator Kelley Irick, “people living close to natural areas need to always exercise caution and common sense when outdoors.”
“This one is not a threat and attacks by snakes on domestic pets are rare,” Irick said. If someone spots the snake, that person should not attempt to capture the snake, but contact FWC as soon as possible.
Once captured, the snake will be humanely euthanized, depending on the circumstances, she said.
Whom To Call
If you see a boa or any other nonnative snake, take pictures of it and call FWC exotic species hotline at 888-IGOTONE (888-446-8663).