A yellow-bellied sea snake, a highly venomous species normally found no farther north than Baja California, was filmed on Crystal Cove beach in Orange County. Marine naturalist Chad Steffen confirmed the identification and noted these snakes are unlikely to bite when stranded out of water. Scientists link the sighting to El Niño-driven warm waters that are pushing some tropical species north. The snake returned to the ocean; this is the first Orange County sighting since 2018 and the sixth in California since 1972.
Rare Venomous Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake Washes Ashore at Crystal Cove — First Orange County Sighting Since 2018
Venomous sea snake makes rare appearance at California beach
A rare and highly venomous yellow-bellied sea snake was filmed ashore at Crystal Cove in Orange County, California, in a sighting locals described as unusual for the state.
Visitor Jackie Aguilar said she and her family noticed the snake on the sand Friday night and recorded video of the animal. Aguilar identified the snake as a yellow-bellied sea snake, and marine naturalist Chad Steffen reviewed the footage and confirmed the identification.
“They are very venomous, but they are also very clumsy and sluggish out of water,” Steffen told CBS Los Angeles. “They are not inclined to bite. They aren't aggressive.”
Yellow-bellied sea snakes typically remain south of Baja California, Mexico. The individual filmed at Crystal Cove is the first documented sighting in Orange County since 2018 and only the sixth recorded appearance of this species in California since 1972.
Steffen and other scientists say unusually warm ocean conditions linked to El Niño are pushing some tropical species farther north than usual. Oceanographers warned in late July and early August that warming waters could carry creatures such as yellow-bellied sea snakes and hammerhead sharks into California coastal waters.
“We expect to see all kinds of weird tropical things come up with this warm water,” Douglas McCauley, director of the Benioff Ocean Initiative at UC Santa Barbara, told USA Today.
Aguilar said the snake eventually made its way back into the ocean and swam away. She added she will avoid entering the water for now.
Safety Reminder
If you encounter an unfamiliar sea snake or marine animal, keep a safe distance and do not try to touch or move it. Report sightings to local authorities or a marine rescue organization so experts can respond if necessary.
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