A rare yellow-bellied sea snake recently washed ashore in Orange County, marking the first time the venomous serpent has been seen in California since 2018. Cellphone camera footage, broadcast by CBS Los Angeles, showed the snake on a beach at night in Crystal Cove.
The sighting is considered rare, though not unheard of. Greg Pauly, a reptile expert with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, stated that there were two other confirmed sightings of the species in Orange County in January and November of 2018. Overall, there have been six confirmed sightings in California since 1972. Pauly is currently attempting to contact those who saw the recent snake to obtain additional video and verify the report.
Experts advise that the yellow-bellied sea snake does not pose a danger to people, provided they do not attempt to handle the animal. Hayley Crowell, a snake expert at San Diego State University, noted that these serpents use their potent venom to kill prey, but humans do not resemble their food. She emphasized, "If you’re not handling them, you’re fine."
The appearance of such a species this far north of its typical habitat is attributed by naturalists to warming ocean waters, possibly due to El Niño. The recent sighting's timing, early in the year, is particularly unusual, according to Pauly. He explained that in prior instances, these snakes typically washed ashore when water temperatures had fallen, leading them to become sick and lethargic. Crowell added that the snakes, which hunt for fish in open water, can easily be caught in currents. If they are carried off course but remain in water within their comfortable temperature range, they may not realize how far they have drifted, likening them to "floating noodles who got lost."
Yellow-bellied sea snakes are named for their distinctive yellow underside, which provides a dramatic contrast to their darker top half. They are among the 65 to 75 species of "true" sea snakes, meaning they live their entire lives in the water and give birth to live young there. Fully adapted to marine life, these snakes are helpless and virtually unable to move if they become stranded on a beach.
Regarding the video footage from the Orange County beach, Crowell expressed that it was heartening to see someone trying to assist the sea snake. However, she generally recommends contacting wildlife officials for help in similar situations, cautioning, "I definitely wouldn’t recommend messing with one if you don’t know what you’re messing with."
The presence of the yellow-bellied sea snake in Southern California waters this year comes amidst other uncommon marine animal sightings. Fishermen reported a hammerhead shark off the Malibu Pier last month, and another was observed off Laguna Beach this month. A whale shark was also spotted between Malibu and Santa Barbara Island earlier this month. Additionally, the Natural History Museum announced that a longfinned bigeye fish, typically found only from Baja California to Peru, was caught off the Venice Fishing Pier. These occurrences suggest a broader pattern potentially linked to warm ocean conditions.
