Santa Ana police undertook an extensive search for a reported tropical, extremely venomous viper after receiving an image of the snake on a tree above a shed. The report ultimately proved false, with the individual admitting the image was AI-generated, but not before prompting a significant allocation of public safety resources.
Initially, the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) issued a serious public advisory, warning residents that the reptile was on the loose and including the image in their alert. The man who reported the viper told police his dogs had alerted him to something on the shed, prompting him to take a picture and call 911.
Questions regarding the photo's authenticity emerged immediately. Greg Pauly, a snake expert with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, raised several issues with the image. He noted that Gaboon vipers, which can weigh over 45 pounds, are ground-dwelling snakes, yet the image depicted the snake on a thin tree branch. Pauly also observed what appeared to be a branch going into the snake's body, stating that such a snake would not typically climb onto thin, weak branches. He suggested the animal was either placed there or the image was AI-generated.
Despite the early skepticism, the image prompted a full Santa Ana Police Department response. For hours, officers and wildlife experts collaborated to look for the snake. The president of the Southern California Herpetology Assn. and Rescue was brought in to help identify it, followed by other experts from the group. The department's warning to the public stated that the reptile was "last seen in a tree within a residential neighborhood near Main Street and Edinger Avenue" and advised residents, "DO NOT approach or attempt to handle it."
Details about the Gaboon viper describe it as a venomous snake with two hornlike projections on its snout. It feeds mainly on rodents and ground-dwelling birds, known for striking and then holding on until its prey dies. According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, these vipers are considered placid, with most bites occurring when they are stepped on. However, if hungry, the institute notes they will strike "at almost any sideways movement." Females give birth to 50 to 60 live young.
By Monday evening, after hours of searching turned up no sign of the snake, the department announced it had cleared the area. They continued to advise the public to stay vigilant and use caution but noted, "At this time, we have not identified any movement consistent with this type of snake."
In a follow-up investigation, the man who reported the viper admitted that the image was AI-generated, and his report was false. The SAPD acknowledged that "While there was speculation from the beginning that the photo may have been AI-generated, SAPD had to investigate and follow up to confirm what actually happened."
