These “Fantastic Grandmas” help scientists learn more about venomous sea snakes

Amid all this COVID-19 gloom surrounding the world, we’re hoping this unique story of courage and passion might uplift your spirits!

“Fantastic Grandmas” is a group of seven women in their 60s and 70s who are spending their golden years swimming after venomous sea snakes so that they can help researchers learn more about the snakes around Lemon Bay, New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

The hardy women typically don their scuba gear for a research expedition at 7AM. Over the course of the day, they may swim as far as 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in search of snakes.

The grandmas are the only volunteers to conduct research on behalf of the University of Caledonia. Prior to their first group expeditions in 2017, university sea snake researcher Claire Goiran believed there to be only a few different species of sea snakes. The Fantastic Grandmas have since documented about 262 species of snakes and their vital roles in the undersea ecosystem.

Read more here: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/fantastic-grandmas-photograph-venomous-sea-snakes/