Boa Constrictor Found Under Car Hood in Toulouse Suburb

By Kirsten Ripper and Euronews

Published on 21/08/2026 – 15:33 GMT+2

The boa constrictor, which can grow to over 3 meters in length, is native to South America, spanning from Colombia to Argentina.

A motorist in Colomiers, a suburb of Toulouse, France, experienced an unexpected surprise when he discovered a 1.5-meter-long boa constrictor beneath his car’s bonnet. The incident occurred as the driver was preparing to change the battery of a vehicle that had not been driven for approximately a month, according to a post by the Haute-Garonne fire brigade on Facebook.

The response involved five firefighters, including two specialists from the RAN (Animal Rescue Firefighter) unit, who carefully transferred the snake from the engine compartment into a secure glass container. The fire brigade also shared details of the operation on social media to investigate the snake’s origin. The animal was subsequently handed over to a local veterinary school.

Boa constrictors thrive in warm environments, and France’s recent heatwaves may have facilitated the survival of escaped exotic snakes in the wild. Rescue services emphasize that keeping snakes in France is governed by strict regulations that must be adhered to.

Shortly after the car bonnet incident, animal experts from the Toulouse fire brigade were dispatched to Montesquieu-Volvestre, where another 1-meter-long boa had escaped from a vivarium.

Is the boa constrictor dangerous to humans?

In a previous incident, an American woman required emergency services after her pet boa constrictor attached itself to her face.

Typically, boas, which primarily feed on insects, spiders, and smaller animals like lizards, are not considered dangerous to adult humans. This species lacks venomous fangs. While a bite can be painful, the boa constrictor’s primary method of subduing prey involves coiling its body around it and constricting it to death.

Constrictor snakes are protected vertebrates under the Washington CITES agreement (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Additionally, the European Union enforces specific legal requirements for the purchase, keeping, and breeding of boas.

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