In the coastal town

of Playa Sámara, province of Guanacaste, a homeless man was relieved of his pet boa constrictor by officers from Fuerza Publica, Costa Rica’s national police force. The act of confiscation was conducted in response to calls from several neighbors in Playa Sámara who were concerned that the large snake could slither away into the community when the homeless man was sleeping or otherwise not paying attention this member of the Boidae family.

Indeed, it was late at night when Fuerza Publica officers approached the homeless man, who was found snuggling with his three-meter snake. Earlier that day, the man had been spotted walking on the beach with the boa constrictor wrapped around his shoulders. According to Fiorella Valle of Guanacaste online news daily Primero en Noticias, the police officers notified the Ministry of the Environment (Spanish acronym: MINAE) prior to the confiscation.

The snake was handled without difficulty since it was docile. It is unknown for how long the boa and the homeless man were together, but it is interesting to note that these snakes are typically nocturnal, which would have made snuggling with this animal a bit tricky for the homeless man.

MINAE officials kept the snake for a day, monitoring its health conditions before deciding to return it to its wild habitat. In Costa Rica, boas thrive in humid and warm ecosystems, preferably near riverbanks. Species counts over the last few years indicated that boas are abundant in Costa Rica’s tropical forests.

Although it is not illegal to keep large snakes as pets in our country, it is important to note that The Costa Rica Star has previously reported on incidents involving an anaconda on the loose and a pet boa constrictor devouring house cats.