By Gina Yarbrough
Santa Ana, CA–A report of a suspected highly venomous snake running loose in a Santa Ana neighborhood caused concern among residents, but authorities say the alarming image of the viper is not authentic.
According to the Santa Ana Police Department, the photograph appearing to show a Gaboon Viper in a tree was created using artificial intelligence and does not depict a real snake or actual incident.
Detectives followed up with the reporting party, who initially said he saw the snake and provided the original photo. During the investigation, he admitted the photo was AI-generated and that the report was false.
“While there was speculation from the beginning that the photo may have been AI-generated, Santa Ana Police Department had to investigate and follow up to confirm what actually happened,” the police stated in a release.
Authorities responded to a report of the viper in the backyard of a residence in the 1400 block of South Cypress Avenue. Herpetologists (reptile experts) responded to assist and conducted an extensive search of the area. They did not find the snake or any evidence that a snake matching the description had been there.
The reptiles are not native to North America; they are found in the tropical forests of sub-Saharan Africa. Known for their impressive size, these snakes are among the largest vipers in the world and are famous for having the longest fangs of any snake species.
The Santa Ana Police Department has not released the person’s name or said whether the individual will face charges for allegedly filing a false report.
