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Three-eyed snake found on Australian highway | Three-eyed snake found on Australian highway |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Wildlife authorities have shared photos of a three-eyed snake that was found on a highway in northern Australia. | Wildlife authorities have shared photos of a three-eyed snake that was found on a highway in northern Australia. |
The Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Service described the discovery, which was widely shared online, as "peculiar". | The Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Service described the discovery, which was widely shared online, as "peculiar". |
Nicknamed Monty Python, the baby carpet python died just weeks after it was found in March. | Nicknamed Monty Python, the baby carpet python died just weeks after it was found in March. |
Experts said the snake's third eye, on top of its head, appeared to be a natural mutation. | Experts said the snake's third eye, on top of its head, appeared to be a natural mutation. |
Rangers discovered it near the town of Humpty Doo, 40km (25 miles) south-east of Darwin. | Rangers discovered it near the town of Humpty Doo, 40km (25 miles) south-east of Darwin. |
The 40cm-long (15 inch) reptile had been struggling to eat due to its deformity, officials told the BBC. | The 40cm-long (15 inch) reptile had been struggling to eat due to its deformity, officials told the BBC. |
'Natural' case | 'Natural' case |
The wildlife service said X-ray scans had showed that the snake did not have two heads formed together. | The wildlife service said X-ray scans had showed that the snake did not have two heads formed together. |
"Rather it appeared to be one skull with an additional eye socket and three functioning eyes," it said on Facebook. | "Rather it appeared to be one skull with an additional eye socket and three functioning eyes," it said on Facebook. |
Snake expert Prof Bryan Fry said mutations were a natural part of evolution. | Snake expert Prof Bryan Fry said mutations were a natural part of evolution. |
"Every baby has a mutation of some sort - this one is just particularly coarse and misshapen," said Prof Fry, from the University of Queensland. | |
"I haven't seen a three-eyed snake before, but we have a two-headed carpet python in our lab - it's just a different kind of mutation like what we see with Siamese twins." | |
He suggested that the snake's third eye may have been "the last little bit of a twin that's been absorbed". | He suggested that the snake's third eye may have been "the last little bit of a twin that's been absorbed". |
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