{"id":43658,"date":"2024-11-07T13:33:01","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T12:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/74655571-725b-4107-b765-447211392de2"},"modified":"2024-11-07T14:28:48","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T13:28:48","slug":"discover-the-world-of-the-beautiful-yet-much-feared-sea-snake-do-these-venomous-serpents-deserve-their-deadly-reputation","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/discover-the-world-of-the-beautiful-yet-much-feared-sea-snake-do-these-venomous-serpents-deserve-their-deadly-reputation\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover the world of the beautiful, yet much-feared, sea snake: do these venomous serpents deserve their deadly reputation?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0All you ever needed to know about the much-feared sea snake <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 07 November 2024 at 12:33 PM<\/p>

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Sea snakes may regularly appear in lists of the world\u2019s most venomous creatures, but\u00a0in\u00a0reality\u00a0these marine reptiles \u2013 of which there are more than 60 species \u2013 represent little danger to humans.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>

Falling into two groups that evolved\u00a0independently\u00a0<\/em>of each other \u2013 true sea snakes and sea kraits \u2013 these\u00a0amazing\u00a0creatures\u00a0showcase a range of fascinating adaptations to life in the water.\u00a0<\/p>

What do sea snakes look like?<\/h2>

Markings vary from species to\u00a0species\u00a0but\u00a0many\u00a0sea snakes\u00a0have\u00a0alternating bands of black, grey, blue or white.\u00a0Sea snakes have\u00a0a pair of short fangs at the front of the mouth, which remain hidden in\u00a0a\u00a0fold in the gums\u00a0until they emerge for biting prey.\u00a0<\/p>

How big are sea snakes?<\/h2>

Size depends on species too, with some as small as\u00a050cm long\u00a0and others growing to 2.7m, but most are about 1.m long.\u00a0They weigh between 0.6-1.8kg.\u00a0<\/p>

Are\u00a0sea\u00a0snakes\u00a0dangerous?<\/h2>