Venomous Sea Snake Slithers Onto Crystal Cove State Beach, Video Shows

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — A venomous sea snake seldom spotted in Southern California washed up on an Orange County beach, CBSLA reported.

The snake was discovered by a Jackie Aguilar, who was visiting Crystal Cove State Beach in Orange County on Friday, Sept. 11, according to the report.

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A video published to CBSLA showed Aguilar's family trying to help the snake, which was on the sandy shoreline, get back into the water.

SEE ALSO: Watch: Rattlesnake Slithers Past Man In Surf At Crystal Cove

While officials did not immediately confirm the snake's species, marine naturalist Capt. Chad Steffen told CBSLA that the snake looks like the highly-venomous yellow-bellied sea snake.

"They are very venomous, but they are also very clumsy and sluggish out of water," Steffan told the outlet. "They are not inclined to bite. They aren't aggressive."

According to The Los Angeles Times, the last time a yellow-bellied sea snake was spotted in Orange County waters was during the last El Niño period of 2018 through 2019.

According to Natural History Museum Herpetology Curator Greg Pauly, only six yellow-bellied sea snakes have been collected in California. Five washed ashore during El Niño years, he said.

RELATED: Deadly Sea Snake Washes Ashore in Orange County

The snakes normally range no farther north than the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Pauly said stranded sea snakes are most likely to turn up on Southern California beaches from October through January as cooling water makes them sluggish and winds or tides push them ashore.

Other unexpected species have already appeared.

Hammerhead sharks have been spotted off Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties, while a whale shark was seen off Malibu and mahi-mahi, also known as dorado, were spotted near the Southern Channel Islands, Natural History Museum officials said.

A longfinned bigeye caught off the Venice Fishing Pier has also been added to the museum's collection. The species is typically found from Baja California to Peru, according to the National History Museum's Ichthyology Curator Bill Ludt.

Anyone who finds an unusual fish on shore can send a photo and contact information to nature@nhm.org.

People who encounter a sick or dead seal or sea lion should keep their distance and call the NOAA West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 866-767-6114.