An experienced catcher issued a warning after a beachgoer who was wandering on a Queensland beach this morning came discovered an extremely poisonous sea snake.
The Stokes’ sea snake, which was charcoal and white in hue and washed up on Sunshine Beach in Noosa, was between 1.2 and 1.3 metres long.
The size of the reptile startled Stuart McKenzie from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7, he added.
He said, “It was pretty big and pretty thick,” before sending a message.
People should be careful not to handle sea snakes that have washed up on the coast because they frequently are sick and highly venomous.
According to McKenzie, the sea snake discovered this morning had a sizable open wound on its side.
It could have been assaulted or struck by a boat.
We transported it to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, where it is being treated.
The Stokes’ sea snake is one of the biggest and bulkiest sea snakes, per the Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT) of the Australian Government.
It said, “Stokes’ Seasnake is aggressive and unprovoked attacks on divers and bathers have been reported.”
The species is found from the northwest corner of Western Australia all the way through the Top End to Brisbane.