A highly-venomous sea snake has washed ashore alive in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
The yellow-bellied sea snake was discovered on Ōhope Beach.
"These snakes live out at sea, and when they wash up it usually means they’re unwell – often from the cold," the Department of Conservation said today on social media.
"They’re highly venomous but generally calm and not a risk unless handled."
There was no record of the protected species biting anyone in New Zealand.
Sea snakes generally lived in warmer tropical waters to the north of the country, DOC marine science adviser Karen Middlemiss told 1News last year.
"When you get storm events up there that are driving the oceans south, then they can get sort of flipped into different currents down here."
Snakes generally didn't last long after arriving in New Zealand, she said.
"The waters are far too cold, so when they do wash up on the beaches, they don't survive very much longer than a couple of days."
Anyone who found a yellow-bellied sea snake was advised to steer clear, keep pets away, and call 0800 DOC HOT.
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