Group of cyclists find large boa constrictor near Malaga city

Police officers have removed a large boa constrictor found slithering off a popular cycling trail on the outskirts of Malaga city.

In a statement recently sent to the media, Malaga Local Police said agents removed the 2.3-metre snake that was thought to have been abandoned. A group of cyclists riding along the Cortijo Campanillas road found the reptile between the road they were riding on and some cypress trees at about 2pm on Tuesday 6 February.

They phoned the police and waited until they arrived so they didn't lose sight of the snake. Officers found the snake was lethargic and was not resisting. With the help of a local pest control company, the animal was captured and placed in a cardboard box. It was handed over to the police's nature protection unit who will organise its transfer to a shelter for exotic animals.

Boas are snakes that kill their prey by wrapping their bodies around them. Some of the world's largest snakes, such as the anaconda, also belong to the boa family. They are usually found in northern Mexico through central and South America and tend to live near bodies of water. They thrive in a variety of habitats such as tropical rainforests like the Amazon jungle, dry savannahs, scrublands and tropical mountain forests.