A sea snake was seen opposite the Maritime Museum in the Viaduct. Video/ Provided
It plays host to superyachts and celebs however the most recent worldwide visitor to Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour has actually snuck in under the radar – and triggered a caution from authorities.
A banded sea krait – an extremely poisonous sea snake from the Pacific – was identified at the popular marina today by the team of the Peretū.
The boat, which uses cruises around the Hauraki Gulf for the Explore Group, will leave today when the trespasser was spotted curling through the still water.
A representative for the Explore Group stated it was the very first time the team had actually identified a sea snake and the sighting was rapidly reported to the Department of Preservation (DoC).
Clinton Duffy, Technical Consultant Marine at DoC, informed the Herald that banded sea kraits were “unusual laggers” to these islands however were thought about a native types under the Wildlife Act 1953 since they show up here naturally on ocean currents.
The animals are likewise provided security under the law, indicating that it is unlawful to eliminate or bug a sea snake, or have one or any part of one without a license.
Duffy alerted that sea snakes and kraits are extremely poisonous however stated they are “docile animals”.
” Nonetheless, if you discover a sea snake or krait keep well away and call 0800 DOC HOT,” he stated.
The sighting is the most recent in a series of looks of poisonous snakes in our waters, following a rash of sightings of the yellow-bellied sea snake in 2015.
That animal, which types in the tropical waters of the northern Tasman Sea, has actually been viewed as far south as the Manawatū shoreline, where a male was prosecuted in 2015 for taking one from a beach.
However most importantly it is an exclusively ocean-going types.
This is not the case for the banded krait.
This poisonous visitor is a seaside animal and typically comes ashore to rest and to control its temperature level, Duffy informed the Herald.
” Water temperature level will affect the length of time they make it through in New Zealand waters. At temperature levels listed below 18-20 ° C survival time is gradually lowered, feeding stops initially, then swimming and diving, and ultimately they lose the capability to orient themselves,” he discussed, prior to keeping in mind rather ominously that “the video recommends the snake is not suffering any of those signs”.
A team member at Explore Group informed the Herald that she did not feel risky however was “keeping her range” from the water today.
Great strategy.
