This sea snake photographed by Claire Davidson on July 7 might or might not be the same one that Karen Ham put up on Facebook on July 5th. Our Ranger friend thinks it is probably an Elegant Sea Snake, but says the scales under the chin give a better indication of species, but “Don’t get bitten trying to look.”
When we searched for more information, we found the following from the Courier Mail in December 2014 after a similar beach sighting. Presumably it is still relevant today.
Queensland Museum reptile curator Patrick Couper said sea snakes such as the Elegant Sea Snake were just as venomous as its land cousin, the Eastern Brown.
“This is probably the species encountered most commonly in south-east Queensland,” Mr Couper said.
Thankfully, bites are “very rare”.
“It does happen occasionally, but most at risk are trawler men as they turn up in the nets,” Mr Couper said, adding the snake on the beach should be “regarded as dangerous and left alone”.
“If it had washed ashore, it would be generally in a weakened condition and should be treated with caution,” he said.
“They would still certainly be capable of giving a bite.”
His advice, if bitten, was to treat it the same as an Eastern Brown – apply pressure and seek “urgent medical attention”.
Some fun facts:
- It is a dangerous, venomous sea snake that can grow up to two metres long
- It lives in shallow, muddy bottomed habitats
- It eats eels and long thin fish
- It gives birth to between 12 and 23 live young, which are about a rulers length (30cm) at birth
- They breathe by coming to the surface for air
- The male and female look similar, but the female is longer.