EAD issues sea snake warning on UAE beaches

Pay special attention to Saadiyat Island and Abu Dhabi Corniche…

The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) has urged the public on social media to keep their eyes open for sea snakes when the emirate’s coastal waters are cool.

These, locally known as “Bu jinn” or “Bogni”, sea snakes usually move to shallow waters to breed early in the winter. They are poisonous, but bites are rare (unless the animal is provoked) and death is almost unheard of-at least partly because of the venom injection in rare cases.

Snake on a grain (sand)

If you find a tail cocked on the beach and stuck in a copy of What’sssssss On, EAD has asked the individual to “avoid touching it or trying to catch it” and notify the lifeguard or relevant beach manager and call The Abu Dhabi Government Helpline 800 555.

In case you end up being bitten by one, you must go directly to the hospital for treatment with antivenom.

The waters of Abu Dhabi are home to sea snakes, locally known as “Bogni”. Sea snakes inhabit open shallow waters, coral reefs and beaches. Many sea snakes have been found on some beaches in the emirate.#Environment abu dhabi pic.twitter.com/AaygH8g0D4

— UNEP — Abu Dhabi (@EADTweets) October 5, 2021

The EAD issued a warning and required special vigilance on known breeding and breeding sites, including the waters near Saadiyat Island and Abu Dhabi Corniche.

There may be as many as nine different species of sea snakes in the waters around the UAE, including reef snakes, ridge-bellied sea snakes, yellow-bellied sea snakes and Gulf sea snakes.

Picture: EAD

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