Witness a Giant Sea Snake Swallowing an Equal-Sized Eel
In a fascinating display of marine predation, a video taken by a diving instructor in Thailand captures a banded sea krait, a unique species of sea snake, consuming a moray eel whole.
The banded sea krait, known for its habitat in the eastern Indian and western Pacific oceans, is often found in shallow, tropical waters of coral reefs and mangrove swamps. This particular sea snake resides in the ocean but has a peculiar habit of quenching its thirst by drinking fresh water rather than saltwater. It sources this fresh water from rainwater pools on land or fresh groundwater seeps 14.
The video shows the banded sea krait's remarkable ability to swallow its prey whole, a strategy it employs after paralyzing its victim with venom. The venom of the banded sea krait is ten times more toxic than a rattlesnake's venom 6. In this instance, the eel, as big as the sea snake, put up a fight, but the sea snake remained unaffected, demonstrating its resilience during the swallowing process 7.
Interestingly, the size of the eel in the video indicates that a significant portion of the sea snake's body was filled after the meal. The sea snake proceeded to swallow the eel bit by bit, a process during which the eel's muscles spasmed 8.
Males of this species tend to attack smaller prey in shallow waters, while females prefer larger eels in deeper waters 9. After consuming the eel, it is implied that the sea snake will likely go to land for digestion, a process that can take up to 10 days 10.
Despite their venomous nature, banded sea kraits are shy creatures, and human bites are rare, occurring only in self-defense. They are the only kind of sea snake that is amphibious, spending time on land for digesting food, mating, or laying eggs 11.
- The banded sea krait, despite spending most of its life in the ocean, shows a surprising preference for fresh water, largely sourced from rainwater pools on land or fresh groundwater seeps, for its hydration needs.
- The health-and-wellness benefits of being active, as demonstrated by the banded sea krait's capacity to swallow its prey whole and overcome the struggle of a large moray eel, can serve as a metaphor for our own fitness-and-exercise routines, guiding us to persevere through challenges and find resilience in our daily lives.
