This Boa constrictor was released in Las Cruces after being captured in someone’s home near San Vito. It was extremely agitated, hissing loudly and fervently when approached. In fact, it remained hissing after moving out of sight nearly 50 m. It later hid in a drainage ditch, likely waiting until nightfall to move into a tree.

It’s release sparked a brief conversation at dinner about relocation of animals, including reptiles , which tend to (1) return to the place of capture if relocated nearby and (2) become so agitated in searching for their home range and there is low survival (http://www.jstor.org/stable/3892626).