America

Rare two-headed snake, ‘Double Dave’, found in US

A rare two-headed baby timber rattlesnake has been found in a forest in the US state of New Jersey.

The reptile, named Double Dave, was spotted last month and taken by an environmental group.

Joined at the body, the baby venomous snake has two fully-formed heads, four eyes and two flickering tongues – which work independently of each other.

“It would be pretty difficult for this snake to survive in the wild,” environmentalist Dave Schneider said.

He said the snake stiffens when trying to escape, and it would have been an easy catch for predators.

Media captionRare double-headed snake found in garden in Virginia
Mr Schneider from Herpetological Associates (HA), a consultancy specialising in the study of endangered and threatened reptiles and amphibians, said he and his colleague spotted Double Dave on 25 August in the Pine Barrens forested area.

This happened as they were observing a rattlesnake giving birth.

Two-headed snakes are usually born the same way as Siamese twins: a developing embryo begins to split into identical twins – but then stops part way.

They came up with the name Double Dave because Mr Schneider and his colleague are both called David.

Mr Schneider told the BBC a special permit had been obtained from the state authorities for HA to keep and study the rare snake.

“We’ll take care of it,” he said.

 

Source: BBC.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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