A yellow-bellied sea snake rescued from one of the beaches in Dana Bay in the Mossel Bay municipality has been released back into the ocean.
Venomous
The yellow-bellied sea snake is a venomous species of snake from the subfamily Hydrophiinae found in tropical oceanic waters around the world except for the Atlantic Ocean.
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This year, a reported 35 yellow-bellied sea snakes have been discovered on various South African beaches, but 80% have died within 24 hours of being rescued.
According to the George Herald, Heinrich Ninaber, known as the local snake catcher in the Dana Bay community, received a call from Theuns Blom who had come across the snake while walking between Second and Third beaches.
Ninaber captured the snake and contacted the curator of herpetology at Bayworld in Gqeberha, Dr Werner Conradie, who told him how to look after the snake until it was ready to be released back into the deep sea.
The public are urged to exercise caution when stumbling across yellow-bellied sea snakes.
Have you encountered a snake on a beach before?
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