image credit: goldringmarinestation.org
image credit: theherald.com.au
image credit: arkive.orgHabitat: Tropical oceanic waters around the world
Status: No conservation concerns
The Yellowbelly Sea Snake is the most widely distributed of all sea snakes, and it lives its entire life cycle in the open sea! It is capable of spending up to three hours underwater without surfacing, and scientists estimate that 87% of the Yellowbelly Sea Snake’s life takes place underwater.
This is a venomous snake, being 10 times more venomous than the Egyptian Cobra, but it delivers a much smaller amount of venom. No human fatalities have ever been reported and actually it usually shows no concern when confronted and can easily be captured with a net. It’s reluctant to strike and when it does, it usually does so without injecting any venom.
Nevertheless, you best believe that If I saw this snake while swimming I would hightail it out of there faster than you could say “Swim, woman!”
