Comments on: Sea Snake Sighting in Paradise

By: erict

erict — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:20:27 +0000

Crazy! Most sea snakes are far from dangerous, although I myself just figured that out =] Recently, I've been seeing a lot of a yellow and black variety washing up on my beach. I wrote this post about sea snakes on the beach that explains what I learned about them. They never close the beaches here (Costa Rica) because of it.

By: battlekow

battlekow — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:47:21 +0000

I have heard (sorry, can’t recall source) a report of sea snakes gradually moving from the Pacific to the Caribbean/Atlantic through the Panama Canal. The fresh water might represent a barrier but I seem to recall some suggestion that they could cope with it. This is from Wikipedia:

Sea snakes do not occur in the Atlantic Ocean. It is thought that Pelamis would be found there were it not for the cold currents off Namibia and western South America that keep it from crossing into the eastern South Atlantic, or south of 5° latitude along the South American west coast. Sea snakes do not occur in the Red Sea, believed to be due to its increased salinity, so there is no danger of them crossing through the Suez Canal. Salinity, or rather a lack thereof, is also thought to be the reason why Pelamis has not crossed into the Caribbean via the Panama Canal.[1] On the other hand, Priede (1990) speculates that Pelamis will enter the Atlantic if global warming eventually causes the aforementioned cold currents to become warm enough.[14]

Note that the snake mentioned, Pelamis, is a different genus than the sea kraits, Laticauda.

By: CryptoInformant 2.0

CryptoInformant 2.0 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:53:18 +0000

Cryptidsrus – Llamas have been domesticated, and it is not all that unlikely for someone to have one as a pet. Big cats, while an unwise choice, have some precedent for being kept as pets as well – neither of the two things you mentioned surprised me. Both species, in fact, have been kept in captivity prior to being kept as pets.

I do not know of any case of a sea krait being kept as a pet, or even in a zoo.

By: marksquatch

marksquatch — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:58:34 +0000

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:50:08 +0000

You’re right, CryptoInformant 2.0. Just remember, though, that some people will choose ANY kind of animal as pet. No matter how “unlikely” that is. Just the other day I heard of a couple (I think it was in England) having a LLAMA as a pet inside their home. There was another one that had a BENGAL TIGER indoors.

By: CryptoInformant 2.0

CryptoInformant 2.0 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:30:55 +0000

Cryptidsrus – I don’t know of many people that keep sea snakes as pets, to be honest – they generally stay in the ocean, owing to a lack of popularity with people, and the fact that they survive best when left where they survive best.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:28:31 +0000

Sounds like it could be a case of “Irresponsible pet owner with animal that has grown too large deciding to drop the critter off at the nearest beach to have hapless, unsuspecting beachgoers risk being bitten/killed by it” Syndrome.

The police officer looks like a very credible witness—I’d like to see the “photographic evidence” he has, though.

Hopefully no one will be “affected” by this.
Hopefully.

By: CryptoInformant 2.0

CryptoInformant 2.0 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:22:13 +0000

MrsB – Well, that’s exactly the problem – beachgoers have the unfortunate tendency to be nosy gits. If a sea snake showed up, someone would end up doing something stupid.

By: MrsB

MrsB — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:44:20 +0000

I can’t believe they closed the beach. Sea Snakes are non aggressive. If your going to get bitten by one it’s because you harrassed it to much.

By: Dj Plasmic Nebula

Dj Plasmic Nebula — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:14:58 +0000

That’s amazing. Out of place snake. WOW. Someone just dropped it off there?