After an overnight trip on the water,
we approached the island of Gunung Api, or Fire Island.In the middle of the rugged Banda Sea lies this volcanic island. It’s one of the most remote of the 18,000 islands in Indonesia. What it’s known for is sea snakes or sea kraits.
Thoughts were running through my head of “We came all this way to see venomous snakes?”. We geared up after being told that at this dive site there are hundreds of snakes. Were we all crazy?
It turns out that because Gunung Api is so remote and the snakes have few predators, they are very curious, calm and gentle.
Even though they are extremely poisonous, they want to hang around divers. It is a rare creature that we could handle under the water.
However, when you felt their muscles tighten they wanted to go get a breath of air from the surface. That was your signal to let them slide through your fingers.
Often my fellow divers would be looking for a snake and little did they know but a couple of snakes would be hanging out around their heads examining their oxygen tank.
The snakes love it at Gunung Api because of the warm lava from the volcano, which keeps the sand on the shore warm where the snakes go to lay their eggs. They have special scales on the underside of their bodies that allows them to easily slither up on the land as well as swim in the ocean. The eggs, that are buried in the sand, are protected by the female until they hatch fully developed and head for the sea. The eggs undergo an incubation period of at least four months before hatching.
Here are 5 more interesting facts about sea kraits.
1. These sea snakes venture onto land for activities such as nesting,drinking fresh water, resting, digesting food, and shedding skin.
2. Banded sea kraits can spend an average of 15 to 30 minutes underwater before returning to the surface for air. They possess a distinctive paddle-like tail that enhances their swimming capabilities.
3. Acting as active predators, banded sea kraits have honed their skills in hunting eels by expertly maneuvering through reef crevices. They employ potent venom to paralyze their prey before swallowing it whole. Female banded sea kraits can be up to three times heavier than males. They typically eat larger conger eels,
while males eat smaller moray eels. Despite their smaller size in comparison to the eels they consume, banded sea kraits ingest their prey whole and then retreat to land for the digestion process, which can extend over several weeks.
4. Additionally, seabirds, sharks, and certain bony fishes are identified as predators of the banded sea krait.
5. Dispelling a prevalent myth, the banded sea krait’s mouths are not too small to bite humans. While generally non-aggressive, bites can occur, especially in unintentional encounters, such as when captured by fishermen.
So if you are ever lucky enough to see a sea krait or olive snake,
it may make you think of this huge friendly colony of snakes at Gunung Api.
Embark on a journey into the multifaceted life of the banded sea krait, from its nesting rituals on coastal lands to its underwater adventures, showcasing adaptations that make it a master of both realms.
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