Residents told to stay indoors as deadly 5-foot African Gaboon viper escapes into California neighbourhood

From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026.

A highly venomous Gaboon viper, estimated at four to five feet long, is on the loose in a residential area of Santa Ana near Main Street and Edinger Avenue. The Santa Ana Police Department has warned locals not to approach or handle the snake, which is not native to North America. Officers are working alongside professional snake handlers and an expert to locate the animal. Monday was the last confirmed sighting of the snake, when local resident Joel Ciprian photographed it in a backyard tree.