Boomslang

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Family: Colubridae

Genus: Dispholidus

Species: D. typus

Evolution 

Subspecies- No subspecies, but they vary in color depending on location

Age of Species- Boomslangs evolved around 10–15 million years ago.

Closest Relatives- Twig snakes and African vine snakes are their closest relatives

Ancestors

1- Early snakes with flexible jaws (100 million years ago)

2-Early colubrid snakes (34–50 million years ago)

3-Tree-dwelling colubrids (15–20 million years ago)

Description

Description- Snake with large, round eyes and smooth, shiny scales. Males are often bright green with black or blue markings, while females are brown or olive

Key Characteristics- Large eyes and excellent vision, rear-fanged with highly toxic hemotoxic venom, arboreal but sometimes found on the ground

Size- Length: 3.3–5.2 feet

Weight- About 0.4–1.1 pounds, depending on size and age

Life Span- About 8–12 years in the wild or up to 20 years in captivity

Differences Between Males and Females- Males: Bright green or blue with black markings. Females: Dull brown or olive, better camouflaged in trees and they’re also slightly larger and bulkier than male

Description of Habitat 

Rainfall- Found in areas with 20–47 inches of annual rainfall

Plants- Common in savannas, woodlands, and forests with tall trees and shrubs

Animals- Coexists with birds, lizards, chameleons, small mammals, and insects (its prey)

Temperature- Temperatures between 20–30°C (68–86°F), they’re mostly found in warm, tropical to subtropical climates

Terrain- Arboreal but can be found on the ground in open woodlands, grasslands, or near rivers

Distribution 

Continents Found- Africa the boomslang is native to sub-Saharan Africa

Invasive- No, the snake is not an invasive species and is only found naturally in Africa

Diet

What Exactly Does It Eat?- Birds, bird eggs, lizards, chameleons, frogs, small mammals 

How Often Does It Eat?- Boomslangs eat every few days to once a week, it depends on the size of their meal and availability of prey

How Does It Get Its Food?- They use their excellent vision to spot prey, they move silently through trees to ambush or stalk prey and they bite and inject venom, immobilizing the prey before swallowing it whole

Any Special Foods?- Boomslangs like going to birds nests for eggs and hatchlings

Social Structure

Live in packs or solo- Boomslangs are solitary animals and only interact during the mating season

Roles within community- They don’t live in groups

Male or female-led groups- They don’t live in groups

Individuals that make up the group- They don’t live in groups 

How do they interact with each other- They are shy and avoid contact except during mating, when males may compete for females

Reproduction

How often do they mate- Boomslangs typically mate once per year

How many mates do they have- Both males and females can have multiple mates in a mating season

Time of year for mating- Mating usually occurs during the rainy season, when conditions are optimal

Mating rituals- Males engage in ritualized combat, where they intertwine and wrestle to win over females

Number of offspring produced at a time- Females lay 8–25 eggs per clutch

Unique characteristics of mating- The female deposits eggs in hollow trees or under leaf litter, and the eggs develop without parental care

Development

Stages of development:

1.Egg stage- Eggs hatch after 2–3 months

2.Hatchling stage- Newborns are fully independent and venomous but rely on small prey

3.Juvenile stage- Rapid growth occurs; young snakes stay hidden to avoid predators

4.Adult stage- They reach full size and become sexually mature

How old before sexual maturity- 2–3 years for both males and females

Activities and environment of stages- Hatchlings and juveniles stay close to vegetation for cover. Adults are more active in trees, hunting larger prey

Differences between males and females- Males are brightly colored to attract mates, while females are duller for better camouflage

Causes of Death

Predation- Birds of prey (e.g., hawks and eagles) and larger snakes are natural predators

Sexual Competition- Male boomslangs sometimes fight during mating season, but these interactions rarely result in death

Disease- Parasites or infections can impact their health, but this is not a common cause of death

Other Causes- Habitat destruction by humans, or roadkill when crossing roads

Competition

Inter-species (within species)- Males compete for females during the mating season

Intra-species (with other species)- Competes with other snakes and birds for prey, like birds and lizards

What do they compete over?- Food and, during the mating season, access to females

Effect of Invasive Species- Currently, no significant impact from invasive species has been reported on boomslangs

IUCN Rating

What is the rating?- Least Concern (LC)

Population- Stable and widespread across sub-Saharan Africa

Population Trend- Stable, with no major declines reported

Impact of Humans

What impacts have occurred?- Habitat loss due to deforestation and agriculture, and occasionally killed by humans out of fear or misunderstanding

Potential Future Impacts- Increased habitat destruction and climate change could threaten their survival

How long have humans been interacting with this species?- Likely thousands of years, as humans have long shared habitats with boomslangs in Africa

Efforts Being Made to Minimize Impacts- Conservation efforts to protect habitats and education campaigns to reduce unnecessary killing of snakes