Why deadly snake bites are on the rise in California - as third victim confirmed

A 78-year-old woman has become the third person to be killed by a snake in California in recent weeks.

The victim was bitten three times by the venomous creature, thought to be a rattlesnake, while walking in a rural area of Redwood Valley on 4 April.

She was taken to hospital by relatives, but "her health deteriorated", and she died two days later, Mendocino County Sheriff's Office told Sky News.

Officers said her cause of death was found to be "snake envenomation from snake bites", and a blood complication likely caused by the poison.

It comes after a 46-year-old woman died in March after she was attacked by a snake while hiking in Wildwood Park, Ventura County.

A 25-year-old man also died after being bitten in Orange County while mountain biking that same month.

Other recent victims in the state have included a teenage girl, who had to be rescued from a nature trail after being bitten, and a woman who was attacked while picking flowers. Both survived.

The latest death has heightened concerns about the apparent increase in snakes biting humans in the US state.

Read more from Sky News:
Italy rules out World Cup reprieve
Israel accused of war crimes

The California Poison Control System, which is run by the University of California San Francisco, said there had been an unexpected rise in recent cases.

A spokesperson told Sky News: "From January to the end of March, we were called to consult on approximately 70 cases, which is an unusual number for this time of year.

"Each year, we typically get calls on approximately 300-350 cases of rattlesnake bites from all over California. Most of these cases are in the early spring and summer months (April to August)."

The region has been affected by unseasonably heavy rain and high temperatures in recent weeks, which experts said were likely encouraging the snakes to emerge from their winter burrows.

Rattlesnakes are the only native venomous snakes to live in the state.

Around 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes every year in the US, but, typically, only five people die annually, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, up to 44% of victims suffer from lasting injuries, such as having some or all of their fingers bitten off.

(c) Sky News 2026: Why deadly snake bites are on the rise in California - as third victim confirmed