WHAT Creature Is On The Loose in The Southern Tier of NY?

Upstate New York is no stranger to wild animals. We've got bears and deer, and all sorts of other creatures roaming around...but perhaps nothing quite like the creature on the loose in the Southern Tier.

There's something on the loose in Binghamton that isn't exactly native to Central New York, but it still poses a serious threat to small children and pets: a boa constrictor snake.

The Red Tail Boa Constrictor is about 6.5' long, according to a post by the Broome County Humane Society and is believed to be somewhere on the city's west side after it escaped from it's enclosure. The Humane Society cautions residents to keep close watch on small pets and small children.

According to LiveScience.com, boa constrictors prefer dry land and trees, and will often lie in wait for their prey to happen by before striking. "Boa constrictors’ diets are composed mostly of small mammals like rats and squirrels. According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, bats are a favorite food, which boa constrictors catch while hanging from trees or the mouths of caves, snatching their prey as it flies by."

Boa constrictors can squeeze their prey to death, and their jaws can stretch enough to eat their prey whole - including animals as large as pigs and deer. 

So yeah, if you see this snake, call the police.