Rare venomous sea snake washes up on a SoCal beach

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Set us as preferred A yellow-bellied sea snake recently washed ashore in Orange County — the first time the venomous serpent has been seen in California since 2018, according to social media video.The animal is not a danger to people as long they don’t handle them, experts say.

Cellphone camera footage broadcast by CBS Los Angeles shows the snake on a beach at night and someone trying to use what appears to be the base of a palm frond to pick it up and toss it back into the water.The footage was shot in Crystal Cove, according to the news station.

Seeing such a slithery tourist this far north is rare but not unheard of.There were two other sightings of the species in Orange County in January and November of 2018, said Greg Pauly, a reptile expert with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

There have been six confirmed sightings in California since 1972, he said.California For the first time in 30 years or so, a poisonous sea snake has been spotted on a Southern California beach, drawn far north of its usual habitat by what naturalists think are the warming ocean waters because of El Niño.

Friday’s reported sighting would be particularly unusual because of how early in the year it occurred.In previous cases, the snakes washed ashore when water temperatures dropped to a point that they became sick and lethargic, Pauly said.

He is now trying to get in touch with the people who saw the snake to obtain more video and verify the sighting.Other uncommon marine animals have wandered into California waters this year.

Fishermen recorded a hammerhead shark off the Malibu Pier last month; and another was seen off Laguna Beach this month, the Orange County Register reported.A whale shark was spotted between Malibu and Santa Barbara Island earlier this month.

And the Natural History Museum announced Wednesday th...