we get quite a few pelarmis here along the east coast. Strange that the scientists didn't realise that it is storm activity that beats the crap out of them and deposits the exhausted animal on the beach, after copping a pounding on the way in. Thats why they die and end up on the sand.
They're a very interesting animal and swim backwards as quick and as well as they go forward.
They survive quite well in fresh water too. I gave one that was in pretty good condition to sydney aquarium and kept it in a bath overnight, just like land snakes it took to the cover I gave it which was a bunch of plastic leaves that floated and it got right in amongst it. For transport it was simply in a lunch box with wet facewasher, then in the backpack and on the train to sydney. i released it into a large plastic tank that was housing a big stokes seasnake and another larger pelarmis. If it died it died, if it got eaten by the stokes then at least they knew the stokes was feeding. I don't know if the seasnake exhibit ever got off the ground, they are a very difficult species to keep alive in captivity.
