Two Sri Lankan cases of identified sea snake bites without envenoming

Abstract

Sea snakes are among the most venomous creatures encountered around coasts and reefs, in estuaries, rivers and at sea. Their venoms are more toxic than those of land snakes. However, they are rarely aggressive or menacing. Bites have become unusual with the advent of modern fishing methods but the two encounters we report, in the Indian Ocean off the shores of Sri Lanka, emphasise that sea snake bites may not result in envenoming.