This is what the Coast Guard in Cork found on a beach
A snake has been rescued after slithering up on a beach in County Cork.
Youghal Coast Guard posted a picture of the 1.5-metre snake online which was initially thought to be a highly venomous turtle-headed sea snake.
A slippery start to 2019 for the team in Youghal with the discovery of a sea snake. The national Coast Guard control centre was informed, due to the unavailability of St. Patrick Cork County Council was requested. Time well serpent by the team..#irishcoastguard #snake pic.twitter.com/oMMr0R2fo8
— Irish Coast Guard (@IrishCoastGuard) January 3, 2019
However, it has since been found to be a California king snake, which is not poisonous.
One of their members made the discovery while out walking on Youghal Beach yesterday.
In their tweet, they said: "A slippery start to 2019 for the team in Youghal with the discovery of a sea snake. The national Coast Guard control centre was informed, due to the unavailability of St. Patrick Cork County Council was requested.
"Time well serpent by the team.."
The snake has since been removed by Cork County Council.
Officer in charge at Youghal Coastguard Mike Lee told the Neil Prendevill Show on Cork’s RedFM that he was walking the boardwalk in Claycastle in Youghal yesterday just after 2pm when he spotted a snake in the sand.
The reptile was just off the boardwalk and he went to check it out. He grabbed and stick and discovered the animal was dead.
He contacted the Marine Rescue co-ordinating centre, as the animal was dead it became the responsibility of Cork County Council who collected the snake.
Mr Lee believes the animal had either been dropped there by a bird or was dumped on the beach by the owner.
