Yellow-lipped Sea Krait

Photo: Massimiliano Finzi · CC BY-NC

Yellow-lipped sea kraits congregate at San Juan's reef to hunt moray eels and small fish in the reef's crevices, a behavior rarely observed in such accessible conditions elsewhere in Luzon. Despite carrying venom more potent than a cobra, sea kraits are non-aggressive and will only bite if physically restrained, making close observation entirely safe with calm, non-interfering behavior. The snakes must return to land to lay eggs and digest their prey, so they are most frequently seen actively hunting during mid-morning hours.