Rubber Boa

The Conservancy's North Idaho land steward, Justin Petty, was recently lucky enough to find this creature--a rubber boa--while hiking in the Selkirk Mountains, near Boundary Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Boas in Idaho? It may seem strange to find a boa, a snake in the same family as the boa constrictor and anaconda, in Idaho's forests. The rubber boa is actually one of only two boa species found in North America.

The rubber boa is a very docile reptile; in fact, it is often used by therapists to help people overcome severe phobias to snakes.

It has a flat tail that looks like a second head. The snake raids mice and shrew nests, and that "second head" serves as a decoy so that animals defending their nests bite the tail instead of the head.

Rubber boas are not at all rare. But count yourself lucky if you see one: They are mainly active at night, and are very secretive, so most Idahoans never know they're around.

The North Idaho forests hold many interesting species. While most people hope to see a grizzly bear or a caribou or a wolverine, keep an eye out for other creatures, too. There just may be a boa under your feet.--Matt Miller

Photos by Justin Petty.