How do sea snakes defend against sharks?

Sea snakes have a unique defensive mechanism against sharks, particularly tiger sharks, despite their inability to eat such large predators. According to Wildlife Biologist and Conservationist Forrest Galante, while sea snakes cannot pierce the tough, sandpaper-like skin of sharks with their fangs, they have an intriguing method of defense if attacked.

When a tiger shark bites a sea snake, it might consume the snake by biting it in half. If the "bitey end" of the sea snake ends up in the shark's mouth, the snake can still function long enough to strike. This allows the sea snake to inject its venom into the softer internal tissues of the shark, such as the esophagus or stomach lining. This direct injection into the blood-streamed organs can potentially neutralize the threat posed by the shark, offering the sea snake a form of post-mortem defense 1.