Sea snake

A sea snake rests on rocks near at the shore of Orchid Island, Taiwan. A University of Florida zoologist has shown that the snake, a black-banded sea krait, and other sea snake species drink freshwater, contradicting the conventional view that they satisfy their drinking needs by sipping sea water. Harvey Lillywhite believes sea snakes seek out freshwater in springs, rivers or in the freshwater “lens” that develops briefly atop seawater shortly after it rains.

(Leslie Babonis/UF Department of Zoology)
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