A highly venomous yellow-bellied sea snake was found washed up on a beach in New Zealand on Sunday. The New Zealand Department of Conservation said the snakes really only wash up on beaches when they’re unwell.
A highly venomous sea snake was found washed up on a New Zealand beach on Sunday in an unusual instance.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation in the Eastern Bay of Plenty posted a video of the yellow-bellied sea snake on the sand in Ōhope Beach.
Found pretty far on the beach from the ocean, yellow-bellied sea snakes are fully aquatic snakes, as their name suggests.
A yellow-bellied sea snake that washed up on a New Zealand beach.
(Department of Conservation – Eastern Bay of Plenty / FOX Weather)
According to the New Zealand Herpetological Society, these snakes spend about 87% of their time underwater and can dive to deep depths.
New Zealand is the southernmost point of their existence in the Western Pacific, the Herpetological Society said, as they do not do well in cold waters.
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The Department of Conservation said finding one of these snakes is rare.
yellow-bellied sea snakes are common in New Zealand waters.
(Department of Conservation – Eastern Bay of Plenty / FOX Weather)
“Sadly, these things don’t really last in cold water,” a member of the Department of Conservation said. “It’s wintertime right now, so this fella’s on his way out.”
The video showed a snake catcher coming to scoop up the snake into a bucket.
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A snake catcher putting the snake into a bucket.
(Department of Conservation – Eastern Bay of Plenty / FOX Weather)
Known for their distinct black bodies and yellow bellies, they’re highly venomous but not aggressive.
There are no records of any bites in New Zealand.
The Herpetological Society said because their fangs are at the back of their mouth, it’s rare for bites to be venomous.
The sea snake in a bucket.
(Department of Conservation – Eastern Bay of Plenty / FOX Weather)
Yellow-bellied sea snakes carry a toxin which blocks nerve transmission to muscles, according to the University of Hawaii Waikiki Aquarium. Bites can be deadly.
