Some, however, are much more wide-ranging and are found from southern Siberia to the coast of New Zealand and Tasmania, from Cape of Good Hope to Central American Pacific waters. Their presence presents a potential danger to swimmers and divers, so it's worth while to have some knowledge of their habits and habitats and of medical treatments available if a crewmember is bitten. There are possibly more sea snakes in the world than any other kind of snake, and almost all are venomous. Sea snakes are air-breathing animals. But evolution has provided them with some advantages over their land-bound kin.
Sea snakes have a flattened, rudder-like tail that they use for propulsion and steering.
Their nostrils are equipped with a valve-like flap to prevent intake of seawater. Sailors cruising the Atlantic or the Mediterranean will not encounter sea snakes. Because sea snakes are found in great numbers along the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America, naturalists keep lookout for evidence of sea snake entry into the Atlantic Ocean via the Panama Canal. However, the likelihood of this trans-oceanic sea snake migration may be small. Much of the Panama Canal is filled with fresh water, reducing the suitable food prey for the snakes.