It’s the year of the snake according to the Chinese lunar calendar. So, many conservationists have decided to give special focus to snakes as the lunar new year arrived on January 29th. But does it matter to New Zealand? What we heard was, there were no snakes in New Zealand. Is it true though?
For us Sri Lankans who were raised away from the cities, snakes were merely neighbours living in our backyards, although we didn’t see them as friendly tenants. From Rat Snakes to Vipers, surely, most of us had a few encounters with them. But since we arrived in New Zealand are we guaranteed of no such confrontations? Maybe not.
Among a few other places like Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Hawaii, Cape Verde, various Pacific islands, and Antarctica, New Zealand is also known as a land void of snakes. However, around the seas of New Zealand occasional marine snakes can be spotted swimming around. And sometimes you might even see one stranded on the beach.
Snake sightings in New Zealand are quite rare, so they always turn out to be newsworthy stories. Even as recently as February this year, the newspapers reported a Blue-lipped Sea Krait (Laticauda laticaudata) seen in Devonport, Auckland.
Over the past few years, there have been numerous reports of Yellow-bellied Sea Snakes (Hydrophis platurus), which is the most common species found on the shores. Banded Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina) and Saint Giron’s Sea Krait (Laticauda saintgironsi) are the other known species, which visit our seas in the warmer summer months.
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake
The marine snakes can be categorised into two main groups. The group, commonly known as Sea Snakes and the Sea Kraits. Other than an accidental drift towards the beaches, the sea snakes spend their lives entirely in the sea. They even give birth to live young.
The sea kraits, on the other hand, venture into the land to drink fresh water and lay eggs. However, in New Zealand, there is no record of them laying eggs. So, most likely they are also accidental guests.
All marine snakes are abundantly found in the tropical seas. So, other than getting caught in a current, it is highly unlikely that they voluntarily swim towards the colder waters of New Zealand. But since their visits are caused naturally, they are also considered as native species here, protected by the Wildlife Act 1953. However, as the oceans get warmer due to climate change, we might experience more of such occurrences.
The marine snakes are even more venomous than land snakes. But they are not very aggressive. Sometimes their bites are known as dry bites, where they don’t inject the venom, only delivered as warning signs. Obviously, venom is precious to snakes, so they wouldn’t waste it on a human they can’t eat.
Being docile creatures doesn’t mean you can play with them. When you see one in New Zealand don’t try to be a snake wrangler or instinctively smash its head like you did back in Sri Lanka. Remember, it’s illegal to kill these protected species. Instead, always remember to call the Department of Conservation and let the experts handle it.
Just as land snakes keep the rodent populations in control, marine snakes control the fish populations, which are their usual food. Snakes may not be your favourite animals, but as predators that play an important role in the ecosystem, they should be protected.
So, we can conclude that, although there are no snakes on the land of New Zealand, they surely can be found in the seas around us.
By Thulitha Abayawardana – Auckland
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake – (Photo by: Msaldais)
Banded Sea Krait – (Photo by: Graham Henderson)
