Venomous Snake Bite Kills Mendocino Woman in What’s Becoming a Deadly Year in California
A 78-year-old woman died earlier this month after being bitten by a venomous snake while walking on a rural property in Mendocino County, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident happened April 8, and her family drove her to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries. A forensic examination conducted April 15 confirmed the cause of death as envenomation. The snake species was not identified.
The death is the third snakebite fatality in California in 2026, an alarming pace for a state that typically sees no more than one per year. A 46-year-old hiker died in Ventura County on March 14 after a rattlesnake encounter on a trail, and a 25-year-old mountain biker in Orange County died from a rattlesnake bite in early February.
The numbers at California Poison Control are also raising flags. The agency’s Fresno-Madera Division typically handles 300 to 350 rattlesnake bite reports in a full year. By the end of March, it had already logged around 70 cases in 2026.
The advice is straightforward: wear closed-toe shoes and long pants in snake country, stick to marked trails, carry a phone and water, and never approach or handle a wild snake regardless of whether it appears dangerous.
Snake activity picks up significantly in spring as temperatures rise. If you are hiking in rural Northern California right now, stay alert and watch where you step.
