Poisonous Snake Invasion Prompts Beach Closures In Argentina

A sudden influx of poisonous snakes being washed downriver in recent floods has triggered the closure of a number of beaches in northern Argentina, authorities have announced on Monday.

The invasion of the slithery reptiles was primarily blamed on the ongoing El Nino phenomenon, which has drastically changed temperatures around the world, according to The Associated Press through Yahoo! News.

Officials in the area further stated that the overflowing waters in the Rio Plata and Rio Parana carried the serpents in their currents, with the snakes ultimately finding themselves washed ashore in Argentina's beaches.

Matias Leyes, an official in the coastal town of Quilmes, south of the capital, stated that the closure of the beaches in the country was done as a precaution since a number of the snakes washed ashore were poisonous, reports The Examiner.

"We are raising awareness of the risk and danger present today. There are otters and species of snakes that are poisonous," he said.

The snakes were discovered to be residing underneath a species of water lily, which washed up on the nation's beaches after recent floods in the area.

"The beaches of Quilmes have been closed as a precaution. We were cleaning up the coast during the week and while doing so we saw the snakes under the water lilies," Leyes added.

It was not just snakes that were spotted by locals in the area, however, as a number of residents in the northern city of Rosario reported seeing displaced animals over the weekend.

Animals spotted by the locals include otters, a wild boar, a fox cub, scorpions, stinging insects, and of course, even more, serpents.

The invasion of the slithery serpents was not confined to the Latin American country as well. Just last week, beachgoers in California were issued a warning to stay away from any sea snakes that might wash ashore, after a third, unexpected sighting of a poisonous serpent being spotted in the state's beaches.

The Guardian reports that the sea serpent, a 20-inch yellow-bellied sea snake, was discovered on a beach near the San Diego area on Tuesday. It was the third snake to be found in the state's beaches since October last year.

The first snake, a two-foot long serpent, was discovered in Ventura County in October, followed by another sighting of a 27-inch sea snake in December in Orange County.

All three serpents have long since died after being captured. Their remains are currently being studied by biologists.