# Round Island Boas Reintroduced after a 150 Year Absence



## findi (Jun 4, 2010)

Hi All,

Some promising news about an endangered species…for a change! Please let me know your thoughts – is the program worthwhile?
Mauritius, an island nation off the coast of southeast Africa, is best known to naturalists as the site of the Dodo Bird’s extinction (Mauritius also is, in a sense, the reason I was hired by the Bronx Zoo and spared life as a lawyer – see article below for the story!). Herp enthusiasts, however, know it as the habitat of several unique reptiles, all of which are now very rare or extinct. But we can delight in some news just released by the Durrell Wildlife Trust - a new population of the Round Island or Keel-scaled Boas, Casarea dussumieri, will soon be established in the wild. This unusual snake disappeared from nearly all of its range in the 1860’s, and its return is the culmination of 40 years’ worth of captive breeding and habitat restoration efforts. Read article here Round Island Boa Back in Wild after 150 Years That Reptile Blog and let me know what you think…is it worthwhile, will it work?
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Thanks, Frank
My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog That Reptile Blog
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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

Always good to hear, especially on an island since they are always more fragile. Any chance you have a link to a bigger version of the scenery picture in there?

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't it work or be worthwhile? The nice thing about reintroducing reptiles and amphibians is everything they do (for most species) is instinct. Much easier than introducing mammals.


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## findi (Jun 4, 2010)

thedude said:


> Always good to hear, especially on an island since they are always more fragile. Any chance you have a link to a bigger version of the scenery picture in there?
> 
> Out of curiosity, why wouldn't it work or be worthwhile? The nice thing about reintroducing reptiles and amphibians is everything they do (for most species) is instinct. Much easier than introducing mammals.



Hi,

Thanks for your feedback; unfortunately, I do not have a better photo. The Durrell Wildlife Trust site linked in the article may, but I haven't checked.

I'm in favor of the plan, and have participated in many...even with herps here in NYC (hog-nosed snakes did very well in a protected area in s. Queens/Brooklyn!). But I like to get people's thoughts...after a long absence, environments change, and I'm often surprised by factors I did not think of. Money is also a concern...always good to try, but certain very expensive efforts that may not succeed may pull funds from more promising projects - I have no details re this case, just throwing it out there.

Best regards, Frank


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Very interesting. That's good news. Thanks for sharing.



findi said:


> Money is also a concern...always good to try, but certain very expensive efforts that may not succeed may pull funds from more promising projects


We spend billions and trillions of dollars looking for life on other planets, but the life here on Earth gets chump change...


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## findi (Jun 4, 2010)

jacobi said:


> Very interesting. That's good news. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> 
> 
> We spend billions and trillions of dollars looking for life on other planets, but the life here on Earth gets chump change...


My pleasure, glad you enjoyed, Best, frank


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

My father was fortunate enough to work with the boas as well as the Round Island Day geckos years ago at the Reptile Breeding Foundation. The boas were hand carried from Jersey to Toronto by the commercial airlines pilot. Very exciting news about the release.


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## findi (Jun 4, 2010)

JeremyHuff said:


> My father was fortunate enough to work with the boas as well as the Round Island Day geckos years ago at the Reptile Breeding Foundation. The boas were hand carried from Jersey to Toronto by the commercial airlines pilot. Very exciting news about the release.


Very nice to hear...and I imagine he had something to0 do with your interest? My grandfather kept seahorses, skunks, snakes and all manner of creatures, helped to launch me...

best, Frank


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## Afemoralis (Mar 17, 2005)

thedude said:


> Out of curiosity, why wouldn't it work or be worthwhile? The nice thing about reintroducing reptiles and amphibians is everything they do (for most species) is instinct. Much easier than introducing mammals.


Ants. Invasive ant species seriously mess with island endemic herps. Same could be said of rats etc, but there is at least a chance at deratting an island. No one has been able to get rid of crazy ants for example once they are established.


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