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ScienceQuiet 26h · day 7

Rare venomous yellow-bellied sea snake washes ashore in Orange County

A beachgoer filmed the snake at Crystal Cove, marking the species' first confirmed Southern California sighting in decades.

newest coverage 1d agosummary written 6d ago6 pieces MastodonNewswiresGoogle News

What to know

  • A yellow-bellied sea snake washed ashore at Crystal Cove, Orange County, in what experts call the first documented Southern California sighting of the species in decades.
  • The species is highly venomous but poses little risk to people unless handled directly, according to marine experts.
  • Experts attribute the far-north appearance to unusually warm ocean water, part of a broader pattern this year of rare marine species — hammerhead sharks, a whale shark, and a longfinned bigeye fish — turning up off California.

“If you're not handling them, you're fine.”

Hayley Crowell, Snake expert, San Diego State University · LA Times ↗ · Sep 16

Jackie Aguilar Beachgoer who filmed the snakeChad Steffen Marine naturalistGreg Pauly Reptile expert, Natural History Museum of LA CountyHayley Crowell Snake expert, San Diego State University

Rare venomous yellow-bellied sea snake washes ashore in Orange County
upi.com

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 3 pieces in two hours at Sep 17, 4 PM; 6 pieces over 7 days (3 articles · 3 posts) Sep 17, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 17, 2 PM — quietSep 17, 4 PM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Newswires 2, Mastodon 1Sep 17, 6 PM — quietSep 17, 8 PM — quietSep 17, 10 PM — quietSep 18, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 18, 2 AM — quietSep 18, 4 AM — quietSep 18, 6 AM — quietSep 18, 8 AM — quietSep 18, 10 AM — quietSep 18, 12 PM — quietSep 18, 2 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — quietSep 18, 6 PM — quietSep 18, 8 PM — quietSep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 12 AM — quietSep 19, 2 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 6 AM — quietSep 19, 8 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 12 PM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 6 PM — quietSep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 12 AM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 6 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 12 PM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Yesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quiet 12
Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 4:43 AM ET
  1. 2

    Experts link sighting to warming ocean water and other rare arrivals

    Pauly and Crowell say warm water likely carried the snake far from its normal range, and the LA Times ties the event to a string of other unusual marine sightings this year in California, including hammerhead sharks off Malibu and Laguna Beach, a whale shark near Santa Barbara Island, and a longfinned bigeye fish caught off Venice Fishing Pier.

    “You have to do a lot to get bit by one.”
    — Hayley Crowell, Snake expert, San Diego State University · source

    • A rare yellow-bellied sea snake washed ashore in Orange County, prompting questions about the possibility of sightings in nearby San Diego.

      ianhillmedia@threads.netMastodon1d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  2. background

    LA Times details expert findings on the sighting — The LA Times reports comment from herpetologist Greg Pauly and snake expert Hayley Crowell, noting only six confirmed California sightings of the species since 1972 and that the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has added the specimen to its collection, calling it the first known report of the species in Southern California since 1983.

  3. 1

    UPI/CBS LA report the sighting as a first for Orange County

    UPI's Odd News desk publishes Aguilar's video with comment from marine naturalist Chad Steffen, who says the snake is venomous but sluggish and unlikely to bite; the outlet calls it the first documented sighting of the species in Orange County.

    “They are very venomous, but they are also very clumsy and sluggish out of water. They are not inclined to bite. They aren't aggressive.”
    — Chad Steffen
  4. background

    Sea snake washes ashore at Crystal Cove — Jackie Aguilar and her family, visiting the beach at night, spot and film a yellow-bellied sea snake on the shore; someone uses a palm frond base to pick it up and toss it back into the water.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets Rare venomous sea snake washes up on a SoCal beach

    first by LA Times, 6d ago · also LA Times California

    1 more headline