Page 54 - An Anthology of Intriguing Animals (DK)

Boa

D eep in the Amazon rain forest of South America, you’ll find the

emerald tree boa looped around a strong branch. This snake
spends hours with its head dangling down, waiting and waiting. Rats

and bats are on the menu. Not all snakes have a deadly bite: boas
kill by squeezing. When a meal comes along, the boa grabs it and

wraps its long body around it tightly, holding it until its victim’s blood
stops flowing. Its jaws open extra wide to swallow its dinner in one

bite. The mysterious row of holes around the emerald tree boa’s
mouth are heat pits. The pits feel the warmth of any animal nearby

so the snake can find food in total darkness.

Baby emerald tree boas are bright orange or red.

They turn green by the time they’re a year old.

Emerald tree boa,
South America
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