At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Population trend
- Increasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Sources disagree — IUCN's 2018 global assessment says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The Round Island keel-scaled boa is a small snake found only on Round Island near Mauritius. It is assessed as Endangered, recovering after island restoration.
A related boa from the same island is already extinct.
Range & habitat
Round Island, off Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Past habitat damage by introduced goats and rabbits
- A tiny island range
- Vulnerability of a small population
Why it matters
A small-island boa recovering after invasive grazers were removed, this species is a flagship for island habitat restoration in the Indian Ocean.
Sources
Sources for Round Island Keel-scaled Boa
- IUCN Red List — look up Round Island Keel-scaled Boa (authoritative status)
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz
Frequently Asked Questions
How did removing goats and rabbits help the boa?
Introduced goats and rabbits had stripped Round Island's vegetation; once they were removed and the habitat recovered, the boa and other native species were able to rebound.
Why is the Round Island keel-scaled boa Endangered?
Published assessments cite its tiny island range and the legacy of habitat damage, even as numbers recover after restoration. See the IUCN Red List.