A venomous Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake was spotted drifting ashore at the Shaibal Point of Cox’s Bazar beach on Sunday (May 18) around 11 AM.
Joynal Abedin Bhutto, a senior lifeguard with Sea Safe Lifeguard, stated, “While returning from a rescue operation at the Kabita Chattar point, we noticed a group of fishermen gathered at Shaibal Point who were striking a snake with sticks.” My fellow lifeguards Osman, Sadek, and I immediately intervened and stopped them. Although the snake had already sustained injuries, we managed to rescue it and safely released it back into the sea.”
Bhutto added, “It was a small-sized snake, with a bright yellow underside and a black-and-yellow patterned back. This species is known as the Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake (Hydrophis platurus). Last year, before and after the monsoon season, four such snakes were spotted at Laboni, Sugandha, and Kalatoli points of Cox’s Bazar beach, all of which were also rescued and released.”
According to marine biologists, the Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake is among the most venomous sea snakes in the world. Although it typically lives in the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean, sightings at Cox’s Bazar beach have become more frequent recently.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Courtesy
