Venomous Gaboon viper spotted in Southern California residential area
A Gaboon viper, the world's longest-fanged snake, was reported wandering a neighborhood near Main Street and Edinger Avenue, prompting a police warning.
Santa Ana police disclosed that a Gaboon viper, an African viper noted for having the longest fangs among snakes, was seen in a tree within a neighborhood near Main Street and Edinger Avenue. Officials issued a public advisory urging locals to watch their surroundings, refrain from handling the snake, and report sightings by calling a specific number. The viper, distinguished by two horn-like bumps on its nose, mainly feeds on rodents and ground-dwelling birds and will hold its prey until it dies.
According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, bites usually occur when the snake is stepped on, and a hungry individual may strike at any sideways motion. Females give birth to 50-60 live young, and the species is generally considered placid unless provoked.
