I first went to Panama in 1976 (1 month), I went again in 1983 (1 month), again in 1994 (1 month) and finally was assigned to Fort Sherman, Panama in 1997 for 12 months as part of the Jungle Operations Training Center.
During my tour in 1994 I went to Taboga Island and captured a single specimen of sabogae. This specimen is the one pictured on my web site. I found no other specimens, even after offering a reward to the teenagers of $20.00 per animal (much money for that location).
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Boa c. sabogae photo courtesy Jeff Murray |
Sabogae was so scarce that I had to show them a picture of an imperator so they would understand what I was looking for.
During my tour from 1997-1998 I went to Taboga 4 times and never found another specimen of sabogae after climbing the hills, or small mountains several days in a row (even after offering money to the local kids for the capture of specimens). I found poison dart frogs, huge marine toads, monster tarantulas and the like but never anymore boas.
I am grateful to you for sticking with the difficult task of red tape and cost to ensure that these animals eventually make it into the hands of people that are sincere about the propagation of the rare boa constrictors because if you have seen what I have seen happen to the island of Saboga, you understand that they are a doomed, yet beautiful, subspecies.