Sea Snakes

Sea snakes are different from those that are found on land. One of the main characteristic feature is that their tail is shaped like a paddle, unlike land snakes whose tails are pointed towards the end. This helps them to swim. All sea snakes are deadly poisonous and have the ability to paralyse their prey within seconds. But though they are lethal they are not known to be aggressive as they are lazy and innocent; only one man has been known to have died from a sea snake bite in Sri Lanka. In order to camouflage themselves, they possess a dark colour when looked at from above to avert being hunted by sea birds. Sea Snakes belong to the family Hydrophidae.
(extract from YZA Reptiles' Group lecture on 25.oct.2009)