Hydrophis schistosus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Hydrophis schistosus, commonly known as the beaked sea snake, hook-nosed sea snake, common sea snake, or the Valakadeyan sea snake, is a highly venomous species of sea snake common throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. This species is implicated in more than 50% of all bites caused by sea snakes, as well as the majority of envenomings and fatalities.
The rostral scale is longer than broad, and is in contact with four shields; frontal more long than broad, shorter than the parietals; nasals in contact with the two anterior labials; sometimes partially divided; one pre- and one or two postoculars; temporals l–3; seven or eight upper labials, fourth or third and fourth entering the eye, the last sometimes divided; anterior chin-shields rather indistinct, separated. Scales with a tubercle or keel, in 50–70 rows; ventrals 230–314, slightly enlarged. The snake is usually uniformly dark grey above; sides and lower parts whitish. Young specimens olive or grey with black transverse bands, broadest in the middle. Length of head and body 1110 mm; tail 190 mm.
The name Vala Kadiyan is from the Tamil word and valakadyn in Malayalam meaning net biter. It is found... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snake Farm of Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Seasnake sighting in Chennai on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 19th most-seen of the 22 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Seasnake in Chennai on a given day, against under 5% in May–June and August–January, the lowest months. That is one of Chennai's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain against 290 mm in November.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Common Seasnake sightings, Chennai ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Mumbai (India, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Seasnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Chennai (6 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
