Residents of a Southern California neighborhood were never in danger from a deadly viper—the snake at the center of the scare did not exist.
Santa Ana police went to a home near Cypress Avenue on Monday after receiving a report of a suspected Gaboon viper in the backyard.
Reptile specialists joined the search, combing the Santa Ana area for the potentially dangerous snake. They found neither a viper nor any evidence that the animal described in the report had ever been there.
On Tuesday, investigators contacted the person who claimed to have spotted the snake and asked for the original image.
That was when the alarming account began to unravel.
The person acknowledged that the image had been created using artificial intelligence and admitted the report was false.
Santa Ana police said they suspected from the outset that the picture could be AI-generated. Even so, officers were required to investigate the report and establish what had actually occurred.
“AI-generated images can look very real, and when false information is shared as fact, it can quickly create unnecessary fear, confusion, and concern in our community,” the Santa Ana Police Department said in an Instagram post.
Before the image was debunked, police had warned the public about the supposed snake on Monday.
“We have received reports of a snake believed to be a Gaboon Viper, last seen in a tree within a residential neighborhood near Main Street and Edinger Avenue,” the department said in a Facebook post.
“Gaboon Vipers are highly venomous and are not native to North America,” police added.
According to Britannica, Gaboon vipers are Africa’s heaviest venomous snakes, reaching weights of up to 18 pounds. They also possess the longest fangs of any snake, measuring as much as 1.6 inches.
The heavy-bodied snakes feature tan, purple and brown geometric markings. Their velvet-like pattern provides remarkable camouflage, allowing the slow-moving vipers to disappear among leaf litter and exposed roots on the forest floor.
