Coastal Rosy Boa

The Coastal Rosy Boa is a form of rosy boa native to coastal Southern California and adjacent Baja California, Mexico. Rosy boas are among the only boas native to the United States, alongside the rubber boa.

Known for its calm temperament and slow-moving nature, this boa is well adapted to rocky, arid, and coastal scrub habitats in its limited range.

• Stocky, cylindrical body with a blunt tail and small head barely distinct from the neck
• Three longitudinal stripes running down the body, typically brown, orange, or reddish against a grey or tan background
• Stripe edges tend to be less well-defined and more blended compared to desert rosy boa forms
• Smooth, small scales giving a soft, silky texture
• Distinguished from other rosy boa forms by muted, blended striping and coastal range

Found in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and rocky arid habitats of Southern California and northern Baja California, often near rock outcrops that provide shelter and thermoregulation sites.

Primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, especially active during warmer months. It is a slow-moving, docile constrictor that preys on small mammals and occasionally birds. It gives birth to live young in small litters.