Who has the Skinny on Diving with Sea Kraits?

[Melicertes]

While recently watching the BBC's Planet Earth - Shallow Seas, my wife and I were fascinated by how apparently in Indonesia some banded sea kraits (sea snakes) are working together with yellow goat fish during their hunting raids on the reef. We were amazed at just how many kraits were actually taking part in this cooperative hunting behavior and since diving Indonesian waters is still on our to-do list we were wondering just common it is, or not, to witness this kind of behavior on dives in that area.

I believe these highly venomous snakes are, from what I've heard on some documentaries and read online, generally not very aggressive unless perhaps caught in a fisherman's net and hauled on board with the catch or something like that. Who has some local knowledge and experience with diving with these critters and are they OK to dive with? Or do you exhale a cloud of bubbles when you see them scouring the reef in your general direction and make for the boat topside?

 

[Desert_Diver]

We were in Fiji last month diving at Kadavu. We saw several yellow jawed kraits. The DM told us that they are not aggressive but they are poisonous. They are in the cobra family. They are air breathers so don't interfere with their need to surface. We approached within 10 to 15 feet and watched without causing any problems. The snakes ignored us. Flashes did not seem to upset them.

Treat them with the respect you would give any wild, dangerous animal.

Art

 

[Vie]

The sea kraits are not aggressive and are usually just minding their own business. They are not afraid to come very close to divers however, so treat them with respect (as you should with all marine life) and definitely do not handle them!

Sea kraits (Laticauda colubrina and Laticauda laticaudata) are relatively common in my area and (from my experience) share the reef peacefully with divers

 

[magnifica]

They are fine to dive with and are unafraid of nor aggressive to divers. However, they are highly poisonous so shouldn't be handled. You can approach them with caution to within a few feet without danger.

 

[spt29970]

I dove with them in the Philippines, and can confirm that they are not aggressive. I read somewhere that their teeth are set far so back in their mouth so that they cannot easily open their mouth far enough to bite you. Apparently most of the bites are on fisherman who are removing them from nets and get bitten on the hand. You basically have to put your hand in their mouth.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Four times more venomous than a cobra, but friendlier than a Garter Snake, they're very curious and love their reflection in your mask! Their natural way of hunting is going along a reef sticking their head in a hole to see what they can find! Fiji in Bligh Water....

 

[Melicertes]

Sounds like an awesome experience to see these wonderful creatures. Thanks to all for the input.

 

[Hank49]

That's pretty interesting, hunting in groups. Most snakes are solitary when hunting. I've only seen sea snakes one at at time, and from a depths as shallow as 4 feet, where one swam right over my fin...a big one...down to 110 feet. I was doing a safety stop and watched one ascend from 70-80 feet, hit the surface for a breath for about one second or less and go straight back down.