Sea Snake Species Thought To Be Extinct Found Off Western Australian Coast
- 8 years ago
Two critically endangered snake species last seen well over a decade ago and assumed extinct were recently spotted off the coast of Western Australia.
When animals are not spotted in their usual stomping grounds for some time, experts often assume the species has gone extinct.
Such was the case with two critically endangered species of snakes last seen in the Timor Sea’s Ashmore Reef area well over a decade ago.
Recent sightings off the coast of Australia have a team of scientists now thinking the creatures just relocated elsewhere.
One of the two species is the short nosed sea snake, a pair of which was seen frolicking in the waters of Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef.
When animals are not spotted in their usual stomping grounds for some time, experts often assume the species has gone extinct.
Such was the case with two critically endangered species of snakes last seen in the Timor Sea’s Ashmore Reef area well over a decade ago.
Recent sightings off the coast of Australia have a team of scientists now thinking the creatures just relocated elsewhere.
One of the two species is the short nosed sea snake, a pair of which was seen frolicking in the waters of Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef.