- Residents in Santa Ana, California, have been warned to avoid a highly venomous Gaboon viper last seen in a residential tree.
- Police confirmed the four- to five-foot-long African snake's species using photos taken by a local resident on Monday.
- Authorities are working alongside professional snake handlers and an expert to locate the escaped reptile, though no further sightings have been reported.
- Native to rainforests in Africa, Gaboon vipers are illegal to keep in California without a special permit.
- The species is recognised as one of the world's largest vipers with the highest venom yield, and its bite can be fatal to humans.
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