LOCAL snake catcher Jason Arnold helped rescue a highly venomous Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake that washed up on uMhlanga Beach on Sunday (September 15) at around 08:00.
The sea snake was found by a member of the public who accidentally stood on it.
According to Arnold, the snake was found near the Umhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club.
“A person walking along the beach accidentally stood on the snake and initially thought it was an eel. However, after a quick Google search, he realised it was a highly venomous Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake. He got hold of Nick Evans and Nick, realising I was much closer, sent the caller my number.
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“The caller, with the help of the lifesaving club, safely got the snake into a large basin, using two sticks of driftwood to lift it gently. I then went through and collected it. The snake had suffered some small bite wounds to its body and tail, presumably from fish or crabs. It was also extremely lethargic. I rushed the snake through to uShaka Sea World and handed it over to Carl Schloms, the senior curator at Sea Worlds Dangerous Creatures department,” he said.
SA Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) spokesperson Ann Kunz said the snake is currently in the quarantine facility (hospital) at uShaka Sea World.
“This is the fifth Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake washed up along the South African coastline this year. We’ve had two in the Western Cape, two in the Eastern Cape and now one in KZN. The snake is recovering, and when the sea conditions are favourable and the reptile is nursed back to health, we will release it,” she said.
Kunz commended the members of the public and lifesaving club for handling the snake with care and calling in a professional.
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