El Nino Likely to Blame for Highly Venomous Sea Snake

We can thank El Niño for the latest parade of tropical sea creatures to show up at local beaches, including a large hammerhead shark that closed Newport Beach Monday and a highly venomous yellow-bellied sea snake that washed ashore in Ventura over the weekend.

According to Heal the Bay, the sea snake was found by a surfer in the tide at Silverstrand Beach in Ventura County Friday. It’s more venous than a rattlesnake, and it hasn’t been spotted so far north in decades.

Commonly found in tropical waters, the snake lives its entire life at sea and can reportedly congregates in groups of thousands. Authorities are warning residents to be cautious if they see a yellow-bellied sea snake.

On its Facebook page, Heal the Bay asks that “If you see these sea snakes, take photos, note the exact location, and report any sightings in California to iNaturalist and Herp Mapper.”

The hammerhead sighting, near the Newport Beach pier, prompted a two mile beach closure as a precaution. Last month, a hammerhead bit a kayaker near Malibu, and in August, another hammerhead aggressively circled a kayaker near La Jolla.

Elevated water temperatures attributed to El Niño are believed to be responsible for the unusual sightings of tropical creatures. In addition to sharks and serpents, thousands of red crabs have washed ashore in OC beaches, and tuna and jellyfish-like creatures called known as “by-the-wind sailors have invaded local waters.

Image: Heal the Bay Facebook page