Khaberni -The Iraqi environment has recorded an unprecedented event in the form of a new type of venomous sea snake entering the regional waters of Basra, causing concern among specialists and those interested in wildlife and the marine environment in the country.
An Iraqi snake experts group announced the documentation of the presence of the "yellow-bellied sea snake" scientifically known as Hydrophis platurus, a member of the highly venomous elapid family, considered one of the most dangerous snake species in the world.
This peculiar snake does not possess a tail in the traditional sense, but features a flattened fin that aids its rapid swimming in water, making it more difficult to spot or avoid in its marine environment.
It is believed that the snake reached Iraq through unusual ocean currents as a result of the accelerating climate changes, especially since its original habitat is located in the waters of New Zealand and the surrounding areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where this snake is widespread in the warm seas there.
The experts noted that this type has not been recorded before in Iraq, and with its appearance, the number of known venomous snakes in the country has risen to twelve species.
The group has requested the Basra Environmental Department to urgently provide the exact monitoring location and photographic evidence, in order to take urgent measures to deal with this potential danger.
The specialists warned of the danger of this snake to fishermen and sea-goers, especially given the general lack of awareness about such new species in the local environment, and called for launching environmental awareness campaigns and enhancing marine monitoring mechanisms in coordination with the relevant authorities.
This development comes at a time when many marine environments around the world are experiencing unusual disturbances in the biological balance, as a result of global warming and polluting human activities, increasing the likelihood of dangerous creatures moving to regions where they had not previously lived.
