Venomous Snake Loose
Santa Ana police search for a venomous Gaboon viper loose in a neighborhood.
Anonymous
Santa Ana police are searching for a suspected 4- to 5-foot Gaboon viper last seen in a tree near Main Street and Edinger Avenue. The highly venomous snake is native to Africa, and officials identified it from photographs; its escape and any owner remain unknown. Police are working with professional snake catchers and a snake expert, and say they have received no further sighting reports. Residents are urged not to approach or try to capture it and to call police at 714-834-4211 if they see it; anyone bitten should seek medical care immediately. Gaboon vipers are generally calm and rarely bite people, but their bites can be fatal.
Key Points
1
Gaboon vipers have the longest fangs of any snake in the world.
2
Possessing or transporting a Gaboon viper in California requires special permits because it is classified as a restricted species.
3
The viper’s leaf-like coloration helps it blend into forest-floor leaf litter, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
4
Gaboon vipers are ambush hunters that typically hold onto prey after striking rather than releasing it.
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