Marietta College Costa Rica Field Trip Videos

Crikey!

We came across this Boa Constrictor on the way back from Catarata la Cangreja, in one of the grassland areas where there were a few shrubs.   Dr. Brown was photographing from the front, and I was doing the video from behind, with a few students also taking pictures and providing the play-by-play.  At one point, the snake decided to make a break for it, but I knew Dr. Brown had not gotten a good picture yet, so I decided to help out by grabbing the snake's tail with my free (left) hand, while I continued taping with the right.  If you listen closely at this stage you can hear the snake hissing loudly.  He finally figured out that someone was holding him, and turned his attention to me.  Let me tell you, it is disconcerting to hold a snake by the tail and have your only view of the head coming through a tiny viewfinder!  After I dropped him he climbed into a nearby small tree.  Needless to say, Boas are not poisonous, but they can give a nasty bite.

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Video copyright 2005, 2007  by Dave McShaffrey.  See here for information on use.