Page 37 - King Coba

Sea Snakes and Kraits
There are two subfamilies of snakes that
spend most of their time in the ocean: sea
snakes and sea kraits. Both of these types of sea snakes are actually elapid snakes (in the same family as cobras), but have evolved over time to live in and near the sea. Most sea snakes are found on coral reefs in warm waters around northern Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia. Sea kraits are found in coastal waters in southern Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Like their cobra cousins, these aquatic animals are highly venomous.
Banded Sea Krait
This beautiful striped sea snake has some of
the most toxic venom in the world—ten times more toxic than that of a rattlesnake! Thankfully, snakebites are very rare since this snake is
shy, calm, and unlikely to bite people. These snakes are experts at hunting eels in coral
reefs, and they can stay safe from predators by moving their tails like
they are a second head.
35