With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Thanks, El Niño: A Venomous Sea Snake Showed Up On The Beach
Why god why (Photo by Anna Iker via Facebook)
()
In today's edition of nightmares coming true IRL, a deadly sea snake was found slithering around a Ventura County beach on Friday—the first time in nearly 35 years such a creature has been spotted in California. The reason? Scientists say we can thank good ol' El Niño.The yellow-bellied sea snake, alias Pelamis platurus, was found on the shore by a surfer at Silver Strand Beach in Ventura County, according to Heal the Bay. This yellow-bellied sea-demon from hell snake is related to Asian cobras and Australian tiger-snakes, and has some of the deadliest venom in the world. As the Daily News reports, the last time this type of snake was seen in California was during the 1982-83 El Niño at San Clemente beach in Orange County.
In a statement, Heal the Bay's Matthew King wrote, "A few have been found in Oxnard recently but who knows what's next."
"A few"? That means, more than one, right? Oh, God.
This exotic, incredibly venomous sea snake has been spotted off Oxnard, likely due to a climate change and El Niño...
Posted by Heal the Bay on Friday, October 16, 2015
Support for LAist comes from
Heal the Bay posted an infographic to their Facebook page yesterday, warning people of the dangers of the snake, and urging them to take photos and report the sighting. In the comments, Facebook user Anna Iker responded by posting her own photo of a yellow-bellied snake she'd also spotted on the same beach on Thursday, and wrote, "It was alive when we first spotted it but seemed to be dying. Not sure what the end result was....It did get washed back into the ocean but I lost track of it soon after."
CBS L.A. tracked down Iker, who said she took the picture while her kids were playing the water. Her neighbor Mary Price told KCAL, "We all just freaked out because that's not something you see around here, ever."
The warmer ocean temperatures, associated with El Niño, already in effect in California, are believed to be the cause of these recent sea snake sightings. In addition to heavier rainfall, and as a consequence, horrible mudslides this year's 'Godzilla' El Niño could also trigger a number of ecological phenomena, like the great news that it could also cause an uptick in snakebites.
But if you're still planning on hitting the beach despite all this, there's a good chance you'll walk away unscathed, as long as you play it cool. "They would probably only bite if people were aggressive like if they were holding the snakes or bumping into them," Heal the Bay's Dana Murray told CBS L.A. "You have a better chance of being killed from a falling vending machine or stuck by lightning than you do by getting bit by a shark or one of these sea snakes in California."
Whatever you say.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
Best of LAist