Easy way to identify snakes
In some places, the appearance of snakes is inevitable. Here’s how to tell if a snake is venomous.
A 78-year-old woman in northern California has died after being bitten multiple times by a venomous snake, marking the third snakebite death in the state this year.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to USA TODAY on Thursday, April 23, that a Redwood Valley woman died in a snake-related incident earlier this month. The woman, who has not been identified, was bitten three times by a snake while walking in a rural area on April 8, the sheriff’s office said.
She was later taken to a hospital by her family for treatment, the sheriff’s office said. However, her health deteriorated and she was pronounced dead at the hospital on April 10th.
A forensic pathologist conducted a post-mortem examination April 15 as part of the sheriff’s investigation. According to the agency, the woman’s death was ruled an accident.
“The preliminary cause of death was determined to be disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and snake venom from a snake bite,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The agency has not identified the species of snake involved, but the state Department of Fish and Wildlife says the rattlesnake is the only venomous snake native to California. The deaths come amid a surge in snake attacks in the state as rattlesnakes emerge from hibernation.
Snake-related incidents in California
Multiple rattlesnake bites have been reported across California in recent months, including two fatalities.
The USA TODAY Network’s Ventura County Star reported on March 19 that a 46-year-old woman died after being bitten by a rattlesnake. The Ventura County Coroner’s Office announced that the woman’s cause of death was determined to be rattlesnake poisoning.
A 25-year-old man died weeks later after being bitten by a rattlesnake while mountain biking with his father in Irvine, Calif., in February, according to a GoFundMe page and local television station KABC. The man, identified as Julian Hernandez, was bitten in the leg while riding his bike at the Quail Hill Trailhead on February 1, KABC reported.
Hernandez’s family said on a GoFundMe page that he was bitten when he stepped aside to let someone pass on the trail. He was then immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.
“His entire family came to the ICU and defended him every step of the way,” the GoFundMe page states. “He spent more than a month recovering and regaining his strength. With immense grief and grief, Julian did not survive.”
Irvine Police and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department told KABC that Hernandez died on March 4. The sheriff’s office said the medical examiner determined Hernandez’s death was due to an animal bite.
USA TODAY has reached out to the Irvine Police Department for comment.
The USA TODAY Network’s Star and Palm Springs Desert Sun reported on other non-fatal snake incidents in recent weeks. At least two snakebite-related incidents have been recorded on Montecito hiking trails this month, according to the Desert Sun.
On April 12, a woman was rescued from the Buena Vista Trail after Montecito Fire Protection District responded to a call of an injured hiker who had reportedly been bitten by a rattlesnake. Authorities said the woman was “approximately three-quarters of a mile up the trail” when she was bitten on the ankle.
So far in 2026, as of March 20, Ventura County officials have received at least four reports of people being bitten by rattlesnakes, the Star reported. In one case, a 14-year-old girl was hospitalized for several days after falling and stepping on a snake, the newspaper reported.
When is rattlesnake season?
Wildlife experts say unseasonably warm temperatures, including a record heatwave in March, have forced rattlesnakes out of their winter hideouts across the state, and as more people venture outdoors for recreation, chances of encountering them are increasing.
Rattlesnake season in California typically runs from April to October, and warmer temperatures increase rattlesnake activity and reproduction, said Emily Taylor, a professor of biological sciences at California State University. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the majority of bites occur during this time of year when snakes and people are more active outdoors.
Brian Stark, manager of the Conejo Open Space Conservation Authority, said the recent high temperatures have made rattlesnakes more active than usual.
According to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, California is home to nearly 50 species of snakes, including seven species of rattlesnakes. According to the California Poison Control System, the most commonly found rattlesnakes in the state are:
- Mojave rattlesnakes are found in the Mojave Desert.
- The North Pacific rattlesnake lives in the Central Valley.
- The red-backed rattlesnake is found in the southwestern part of the Baja Peninsula.
- Sidewinder rattlesnakes, spotted rattlesnakes, and western diamondback rattlesnakes live in the Southeast, especially in the desert.
Fatal rattlesnake bites are rare
Deaths from rattlesnake bites are rare in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.
According to the CDC and the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, approximately 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes, including rattlesnakes, each year. Approximately 5 to 6 of these accidents result in fatalities.
“Although snake bites do not kill most people, they can have long-term effects,” the CDC says on its website. “Many more people will die if they do not receive medical care… Between 10 and 44 percent of people bitten by rattlesnakes have permanent disabilities, including the possibility of losing all or part of a finger or the ability to use it.”
What to do if you are bitten by a rattlesnake
If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, the CDC and California Poison Control System recommend the following:
- Try to stay as calm as possible and not panic.
- Stay away from the snake to avoid further bites.
- Please call 911 immediately.
- For further advice, call the Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
- Sit or lie down and keep the stung area lower than your heart.
- Do not use a tourniquet, try to suck out the venom, or cut the bite site.
- Do not apply ice or heat to the bite site.
The CDC urges people to seek emergency medical care as soon as possible to “start anti-venom (if necessary) and prevent irreversible damage.” Wildlife and health officials say most people make a full recovery after receiving antivenom.
Contributor: Cheri Carlson, Ventura County Star. Daniela Segura and James Ward, Palm Springs Desert Sun
