An animal conservation centre in the USA will hold a birthday party for a two-headed western rat snake that was rescued six years ago.
Birthday festivities for the five-foot-long female reptile named ‘Tiger-Lily’ will be hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Centre at 9am on Saturday, 7th October.
The party will take place in the Scenic Overlook parking lot of the department’s Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area on Highway 76/376 in the city of Branson, Missouri State, USA.
Centre officials announced that the event will reportedly include crafts, party favours, and presentations with the snake, which has been on display.
The snake was donated to the centre for display purposes after it was found in Stone County in the autumn of 2017.
MDC Interpretive Centre Manager Alison Bleich revealed that ‘Tiger-Lily’ has a healthy appetite despite the fact that feeding time always presents a challenge.
Bleich said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “Both heads want to eat, but they only have one oesophagus.
“We put a small cup over one head while the other eats, then switch. Otherwise, both would be trying to grab the same mouse.”
The centre added: “Eating is just one of a multitude of struggles facing a polycephalous (two-headed) animal.
“If it was in the wild, in addition to eating problems, a two-headed snake would also be extremely vulnerable to predation because it wouldn’t have the ability to escape into the normal holes and crevices that one-headed snakes can fit into.”
However, according to the department, the snake’s chances of survival are much higher in captivity.
They emphasised that all interested parties can join the event on Saturday, without having to preregister in advance.
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Story By: Georgina Jadikovska, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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