I have been truly blessed to have been able to travel to this incredible place called New Guinea for 15 years.  I have developed life lasting relationships with local people that work hands on with these incredible animals. My research focus is "Nesting biology" and ecology of Simalia boeleni.  In my research I am monitoring nest-site fidelity in certain areas and populations of snakes I have been visiting for over a decade.

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My future plans to are to deploy GPS tags on individuals and monitor behavior associated with the idea of home territories. Eventually the collection of biological samples( sheds) would be collected to analyze for a greater understanding of population numbers and genetic variability in this species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                             Some examples of several nest sites in situ from 2010-2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the last 10 years we  have been making positive leaps towards greater captive success with this species. I would like to think a great deal of this success is from my frequent sharing of field observations  from the field. A goal is to be able to utilize the wild behavior and data to help strengthen our captive understanding of the species.

 

 

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                                                                             Support Boelen's python research and conservation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                Two individual females in situ outside there nesting area. 2010-2013

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