Are Sea Snakes Dangerous

Have you ever been scuba diving in an area prone to sea snakes and not been sure how to handle the situation, or maybe even been diving in an area while unaware of the existence of sea snakes in that specific area? Chances are that if you've done a lot of travelling and scuba diving in either the Pacific or Indian Ocean you have encountered one of these unfamiliar creatures.

Due to the unfamiliar nature of the sea snake many people don't know whether to treat it as if it's an eel or an actual snake. The primary difference between sea snakes and eels is the fact that sea snakes cannot breath under water and there-for must surface for air fairly regularly.

Sea Snake Behaviour

When encountered by a sea snake, two decisions generally exist in the mind of scuba divers who are not familiar with sea snakes.
• Remain still and hope that the sea snake passes by without much notice.
• Attempt to frantically swim in the opposite direction.

While in fact neither of these are necessary, sea snakes can be poisonous but in general are very mild tempered and do not go out of their way to attack. One should still note that there are some aggressive species of sea snake, such as : Astrotia stokesii, Hydrophis ornatus, Aipysurus laevis and the Enhydrina schistosa.

Sea snakes are most likely to attack when they are taken out of water and find themselves handled in an unfamiliar way, though even then there are many sea snakes which would not attempt to bite. But with that said it is highly recommended that should scuba divers encounter a sea snake DO NOT TOUCH treat the animal with respect, give it space and he is unlikely to bother you.

If one is bitten by a sea snake although sea snakes have a highly dangerous amount of venom, it is highly unlikely that venom will be released during the bite, though should this occur and you begin to experience symptoms- one should seek medical attention.

Ironically enough, one of the sea snakes primary diets is that of the similar looking eel. Sea snakes can on rare occasions be found in large schools which can provide an amazing display of the wonders of nature.

Where Are Sea Snakes Found

Sea snakes tend to live in the warm tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans as well as the waters of Oceania, though less species can be found in the latter location.

The sea snake does not venture over large areas of colder waters and due to this the Atlantic Ocean remains free of sea snakes. Both the Caribbean and the Red Sea do not contain sea snakes too.

Sea snakes are able to swim over 100 miles up rivers and some can be found in swamp areas. Sea snakes tend to prefer shallow areas of water often choosing areas that are sheltered.

A list of countries that sea snakes can be largely found in is as follows :
• Australia
• New Caledonia
• Malaysia
• Indonesia
• Philippines

Physical Characteristics of a Sea Snake

Most species of sea snakes range in length between around 4 to 6 feet, with some species exceeding this. The Hydrophis Spiralis reaches lengths of up to 10 feet. As mentioned above the sea snake does not have gills and is required to surface for breathing on a fairly regular basis.

Sea snakes appear almost identical to snakes on land from the head down to near half way down it's body, this is where the snake then instead of remaining primarily circular with the thickness waning, the width becomes thinner while the height remains the same as the tail takes on somewhat of a ribbon-like appearance, much like that of an eel. The tongue of the sea snake is also like that of the terrestrial snake and actually helps the sea snake keep water out.