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Journalism of Courage
A two-headed copperhead snake was spotted in the yard of a resident in northern Virginia, US, this month. The unnamed person, who found the reptile, contacted the Virginia Herpetological Society to identify the species, according to a CNN report.
“Wild bicephalic snakes are exceptionally rare, because they just don’t live that long,” J D Kleopfer of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries shared on Facebook. “Too many challenges living day to day with two heads,” he added.
According to the news report, the baby Eastern Copperhead was taken to the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro for radiographs so that the officials could examine the snake and figure out how the two heads functioned along with the single body. “It appears as though the left head is more dominant — it’s generally more active and responsive to stimulus,” the Wildlife Center of Virginia said in a statement.
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Further the radiographs revealed that the snake has two tracheas, with the left one more developed. It has two esophaguses, with the right one more developed. The two heads share one heart and one set of lungs. Moreover, accordiong to its anatomy, though it would be better for the right head to eat but it may be a challenge as the left head is more dominant.
The baby snake is not available for the viewbing of public and professionals are taking care of it. If the snake survives, it will be donated to a zoo for an educational exhibit.
