An American state holds a birthday party for a two-headed snake: “Both heads want to eat, but there is only one esophagus” | Biodiversity

An unusual Christmas party is about to take place in the US state of Missouri. There, the state Department of Conservation (MDC) will celebrate the life of one of the most unique creatures to ever inhabit its lands: Tiger-Lily, a two-headed snake who will turn six years old.

It will be this Saturday (7), at the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Center, in Branson, where the python (or pythons, judging by the double name it’s given) will host a celebration that includes artisanal souvenirs, food, and of course a reptile sighting as well as demonstrations of His life.

The snake, a female, was found in neighboring Stone County in October 2017 and donated to the MDC for care and display purposes. Tiger Lily is about five feet tall, and although her diet requires special care, she displays a healthy appetite, according to Alison Blish, director of the MDC Interpretive Center.

“Both heads want to eat, but there’s only one esophagus. So we cover one head while the other one eats, and then we switch them around. Otherwise they’ll try to catch the same prey,” Bleich explains.

The unique condition of the Tiger-Lily brings other inconveniences, such as greater difficulty living in the wild and getting into the tight hiding places these animals typically live. According to the Movement for Democratic Change party, it is likely that the two-headed snake, if left to its own devices, will not live to the half-life it will celebrate now.

In order to show and teach more about this special snake (and also about common snakes) MDC will be holding a Tiger-Lily 6th Birthday Party with the local Missouri community. Registration is not required It happenedwhich has free entry.