The presence of some individuals of the yellow-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis platurus) has caused fear among bathers, however, experts warn that this animal is not aggressive.
During the upwelling of the Humboldt Current, when cold water rises from the depths, these snakes change their behavior. They seek refuge on the surface, within the drift lines — between floating wood, algae, sticks, and natural debris from the ocean — trying to stay out of the colder water, which is why they are sighted more frequently.
Mike Bolton, a marine conservationist, explains that bites from this snake are extremely rare. "The animals we fear most are often just trying to survive in their own world," he added.
On the other hand, reptile expert John Cleghorn also called for calm and advised that if one encounters such a snake, the best thing to do is to move away. Bolton also stressed that in decades of encounters with this species, he has never seen aggressive behavior — they usually just try to escape.
Moreover, the researcher recounted a personal anecdote to illustrate how peaceful this animal is. "I remember a dive. I surfaced and felt movement around my face. Looking, I had one of these snakes trapped between my mask and snorkel, desperately trying to free itself. I released it calmly. There was no bite. There was no aggression. Just an animal trying to escape," he recounted.
Regarding the antivenom, the conservationist said that for the yellow-bellied sea snake, there is no specific antivenom, but there are sea snake antivenoms developed mainly in Australia and Asia that can be used medically. "The real problem is the availability in all countries," he stressed.
"They are quite clumsy out of the water; it's almost impossible for them to bite you. In the water, they don't pay attention to us, we don't seem attractive to them, and producing venom is quite costly for them," he highlighted.
"It returned to the ocean," he stated. "The most important thing would be to remain calm, immobilize the affected area, and seek immediate medical attention," he explained in response to reader inquiries from Panama America.
The yellow-bellied sea snake has been seen in recent days at El Uverito Beach, Boquilla, and La Ensenada.
In the face of its presence, the National Civil Protection System has proceeded to place flags or close certain stretches of the beach to prevent accidents with bathers who go to the area.
In this line, he indicated that in the hypothetical case of an accident, it does not mean that the person would have to wait to die because there are emergency medical protocols based on immediate attention, hospital monitoring, and respiratory support if necessary.
