As we swam over the coral mounds onto a sandy bottom, Toutou took off after something. Mary and I stopped to admire a nudibranch on one of the many coral fingers that gave this dive its name “Coral Gardens.” Toutou was definitely chasing something and motioned us over for a closer look. He had captured a banded sea snake.
The banded sea snake is extremely poisonous but its mouth is generally not big enough to bite
you except for between the fingers. Banded sea snake venom is neurotoxic and it only takes about 1.5 milligrams to be fatal. These snakes produce 10-15 milligrams of venom making them 10 times more lethal than a rattlesnake or black mamba.
Another interesting fact about the banded sea snake is that it lives in the water but breathes air. Because its left lung runs almost the entire length of their body it only has to come up for air every 8 hours or so.
Toutou is from the Village of Vuna on the island of Taveuni in Fiji and we were diving Vuna Reef that belongs to his tribe. As a member of the tribe he is responsible for protecting the tribal rights to the water. One day we came up from a dive at Vuna Reef and there was a cruise ship anchored in the tribal waters. They had sent out a small boat with divers on it. Toutou asked to be let off on the boat to speak with them. Later I asked Toutou what he said. He said he told them that these waters belong to the Chief of Vuna Village. That it was a great insult to be on these waters without first asking permission from the Chief and that they must purchase Kava to present to the Chief to ask for permission. A very polite way of saying "get off my reef!"
The banded sea snake is extremely poisonous but its mouth is generally not big enough to bite
you except for between the fingers. Banded sea snake venom is neurotoxic and it only takes about 1.5 milligrams to be fatal. These snakes produce 10-15 milligrams of venom making them 10 times more lethal than a rattlesnake or black mamba.Another interesting fact about the banded sea snake is that it lives in the water but breathes air. Because its left lung runs almost the entire length of their body it only has to come up for air every 8 hours or so.
Toutou is from the Village of Vuna on the island of Taveuni in Fiji and we were diving Vuna Reef that belongs to his tribe. As a member of the tribe he is responsible for protecting the tribal rights to the water. One day we came up from a dive at Vuna Reef and there was a cruise ship anchored in the tribal waters. They had sent out a small boat with divers on it. Toutou asked to be let off on the boat to speak with them. Later I asked Toutou what he said. He said he told them that these waters belong to the Chief of Vuna Village. That it was a great insult to be on these waters without first asking permission from the Chief and that they must purchase Kava to present to the Chief to ask for permission. A very polite way of saying "get off my reef!"
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