Santa Ana Police Say Viral Gaboon Viper Image Was AI-Generated
Police said detectives confirmed the report was false after experts found no snake and the person who shared the image admitted it was AI-generated.
- On Tuesday, the Santa Ana Police Department confirmed that a viral photo of a Gaboon viper on a residential shed in Santa Ana was AI-generated, ending the localized alert.
- The alert began Monday when a resident reported seeing a four- to five-foot snake near Main Street and Edinger Avenue, prompting police and snake-wranglers to search the neighborhood.
- Jay Brewer of the Reptile Zoo in Fountain Valley noted the Gaboon is a ground dweller unlikely to climb, adding that owning one requires at least two permits and specialized facilities.
- California wildlife officials expressed relief, as a loose Gaboon would be "a nightmare," though SAPD has not stated whether the individual who made the false report faces charges.
- While speculation about the image's authenticity began early, SAPD investigated to confirm the hoax, noting these venomous snakes are native to Central, West, and East Africa, not Southern California.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Officers search Santa Ana for a deadly but AI-generated African viper
"I wish it was AI. It's in my backyard, and it's scary," said a man who used AI to create an image of a venomous Gaboon viper and had teams of police and reptile hunters searching for the dangerous creature. Santa Ana Police called in experts to help them find a four- to five-foot-long Gaboon viper after a gentleman shared photos of one in his neighbor's yard. — Read the rest
California Man Facing Criminal Charges After A.I.-Generated Picture Of Venomous Snake Sparks Panic
California is home to around 50 different types of snakes, including a handful of venomous species. However, that does not include the Gaboon viper, and one man has landed in hot water after riling up people with an A.I.-generated picture that made it look like one was on the loose in Santa Ana. There was […]
Police Searched High and Low for an AI-Generated Snake
Neighbors in Santa Ana, Calif., were spent to watch out for a deadly African viper on Monday that never existed. Police say a man admitted he used AI to generate an image of a Gaboon viper perched in a backyard tree, then called 911 and trimgered an hourlong search. The...
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