Two heads are better than one. In terms of creativity and coming up with intelligent ideas, we think you will agree with us on that! But what about two physical heads put together? It is pretty rare to come across animals with more than one head. How they survive, eat, and where they live remains a mystery to us. When an animal has more than one head, it is a condition referred to as Polycephaly, and this happens more in the same manner as conjoined twins form: an embryo. Unfortunately, having two heads is not an added advantage for any animal. An animal with two heads usually has an abnormal-shaped body that makes it difficult to move through its natural terrain. Two-headed animals also have the challenge of getting adequate nutrients to their brains. Their divided body systems make it difficult to pump enough blood to their organs. For these reasons, few two-headed animals survive to adulthood as they are not even expected to live past birth. It’s sad to hear this, but there are a few exceptional cases. Are two-headed creatures to be celebrated during World Twins Day? These rare creatures are gradually becoming not much of wonder anymore. If you are interested in animals and their mysterious forms, grab some popcorn and prepare for some fascinating 43 two-headed animal stories (and some conjoined humans) discovered worldwide.
Double Dave The Two-Headed Rattlesnake
Scientists named a rare two-headed snake Double Dave after being found in a forest in New Jersey, USA. The baby timber rattlesnake was discovered some months back by environmentalists from the Herpetological Associates group. This group of people studies endangered and threatened reptiles.
Environmentalist Dave Schneider and his colleague, also called Dave, discovered the two-headed snake. Hence, they coined the name, Double Dave. The double-headed venomous pit viper is 20-25cm (8-10 inches) in length and has two fully formed heads. It has four working eyes and two flickering tongues. Schneider explained that Double Dave’s two heads worked independently; survival in the wild would be difficult for such a creature. Having two heads meant moving would be slower than regular snakes (given the struggle between the two heads), making it easy for it to be picked off by prey.