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On April 10th, a YouTuber with a large following shared a video warning about the appearance of "a nest of extremely venomous snakes on Phu Quy Island," along with a call for people to be cautious when visiting Phu Quy Island, a popular tourist destination in Binh Thuan province.
This video quickly went viral on social media, creating a sense of anxiety among tourists, especially as the peak travel season approaches.
Images of venomous snake nests are causing alarm among tourists.
However, the person who filmed the video later clarified and explained that the sighting of the snake actually occurred not on the main island of Phu Quy but on Hon Den, and encouraged people not to panic or worry unnecessarily.
Based on the images appearing in the video shared on social media, it can be identified that these are yellow-lipped sea snakes, also known as yellow-lipped banded krait (scientific name Laticauda colubrina), a species of sea snake found in tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
However, according to a survey report on sea snakes in Vietnam, conducted by the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography and the non-governmental organization Wildlife at Risk, which specializes in protecting wild animals, the yellow-lipped sea snake is considered very rare in Vietnam. This may explain why information about a "nest of extremely venomous snakes on Phu Quy Island" has caused much concern and controversy in the community.
Phu Quy, also known as Thu Island or Khoai Xu Island, is a small island located about 120km southeast of Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan province.
Besides the main island (Phu Quy Island), there are 9 smaller islands surrounding Phu Quy Island (also known as isolated islands), including: Hon Trung, Hon Den, Hon Giua, Hon Do, Hon Tranh, Hon Hai (Hon Kham), Hon Do Lon (Hon Bo), Hon Ty (Hon Vung), and Hon Do Nho (Hon Trao).
Currently, Phu Quy Island only offers tourism activities on the main island and Hon Tranh island.
