Venomous sea snake found at Ōmaha Beach, public warned to stay clear

The public have been asked to stay away from Ōmaha Beach after a venomous yellow-bellied sea snake was found alive in the dunes.

• A live yellow-bellied sea snake was found at the southern end of Ōmaha Beach.
• The Department of Conservation warns the snakes are venomous and advises people to avoid the area.
• It’s the second sighting in a week; the public should report sightings to DoC.

A live yellow-bellied sea snake has been found in the sand dunes at the southern end of Ōmaha Beach, north of Auckland, according to the Department of Conservation.

Department of Conservation (DoC) senior ranger Karl Fisher says he was alerted to the discovery at around 10am this morning. A member of the public had found the snake around 9.30am and emailed a photo to DoC.

“We have sent one of our rangers to check it out, but in the meantime, we want people and their dogs to stay away from the dunes at the southern end of Ōmaha Beach. We don’t usually see these snakes on land but with the type of weather we’ve been having, it may have been blown ashore.”

Fisher says the yellow-bellied sea snakes are venomous and can be aggressive. They are considered native to New Zealand and are found throughout the Pacific.

“It’s very uncommon to see them on land, but with the extreme weather we’ve had recently, we are seeing all kinds of birds and sea life being blown ashore,” says Fisher.

Once the DoC ranger has visited the site to check out the snake, the area will be cordoned off and a decision on what to do with the snake will be made. It’s understood that the snake may have injuries and may need to be euthanised.

“In the meantime, we want to make sure the public are aware and especially dog walkers or any children playing in the area,” says Fisher.

It’s the second sighting of a live yellow-bellied sea snake in the past week, with an unconfirmed encounter near Hokitika on the West Coast.

It’s illegal to kill native sea snakes or possess one. The public are encouraged to report all sightings to DoC using the hotline 0800 DOC HOT.