1.5-metre-long boa constrictor found on the loose in provincial park near Comox, B.C.

Lauren Vanderdeen · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 27, 2025 10:13 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Conservation officers successfully wrangled a 1.5-metre-long boa constrictor adjacent Comox connected Vancouver Island connected Thursday.

Officers were alerted to a "potential ample snake connected the loose" successful Miracle Beach Provincial Park, astir 150 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, according to a Facebook station from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS).

Some trails were temporarily closed, and parkland visitors were turned distant astatine way entrances, portion officers searched for the snake.

Conservation officers are investigating the circumstances of the escaped snake.

The COS said it does not judge the incidental is linked to a boa constrictor that was precocious captured in Tofino, B.C.

Because of the boa constrictor's length, it is considered to beryllium a "restricted reptile," which means that it cannot beryllium released nether immoderate circumstances nether the Controlled Alien Species regulation, according to the COS.

The boa constrictor is present successful the attraction of the Comox Valley SPCA.

SPCA discourages buying exotic pets

Sara Dubois, elder manager for carnal payment subject astatine the B.C. SPCA, said the snake appears to beryllium healthy.

But cold-blooded reptiles, similar boa constrictors raised successful captivity, can't past for agelong extracurricular successful B.C.'s chill climate, which is precise dissimilar their autochthonal South America.

"They shouldn't beryllium surviving successful the chaotic of Canada, that's for sure," Dubois said.

She said a boa constrictor (which is constrictive but not venomous) could prey connected tiny animals if near successful the wild, but it could besides neglect astatine hunting owed to being raised successful captivity.

Dubois noted determination is simply a four-day ineligible impound play that gives the proprietor an accidental to find their mislaid pet, if the carnal escaped by accident, earlier the snake tin beryllium enactment up for adoption.

If it's recovered that the snake was intentionally abandoned, Dubois said, a bid of investigations would occur. Dubois noted it's amerciable to dump animals, and abandonment falls nether carnal cruelty legislation.

Because the snake is little than 3 metres long, it doesn't necessitate a licence to ain nether the Controlled Alien Species Regulation, according to Dubois.

But she said the SPCA asks precise elaborate questions of imaginable exotic favored adopters. They usually already person an due setup, including veterinary care, and extended cognition of these species.

"Very fewer radical person the expertise to decently attraction for them," Dubois said.

The SPCA discourages radical from buying exotic pets, peculiarly from favored stores.

"Sometimes it seems similar it's going to beryllium an casual pet, but these exotic animals person truly specialized needs," she said.

"They're not an carnal you should person arsenic a pet."