US Florida : A domestic cat catches a two-headed snake - a very rare one

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

飼い猫が双頭のヘビを捕獲、非常に珍しい個体　米フロリダ州

2020.10.26 Mon posted at 13:51 JST

(Source: CNN)

（ＣＮＮ） 米フロリダ州パームハーバーでこのほど、飼い猫が頭の２つあるヘビを捕まえてくる出来事があった。双頭のヘビは非常に珍しい。

同州魚類野生生物研究所の専門家はＣＮＮの取材に、「双頭のカメなら目にしたことがあるが、頭の２つあるヘビを自分の目で見たのは初めて」と語った。

双頭のヘビは専門的には１匹のヘビとみなされる。自然界で生き延びることができた可能性は低い。

同研究所はフェイスブックで、生存が難しい理由を「２つの脳がそれぞれ異なる判断を下すことで、餌を食べたり捕食者から逃げたりする能力が阻害されるため」と説明している。

このヘビはサザンブラックレーサーという種で、フロリダ州の都市部と農村部で見つかることが多いが、米東部各地にも生息する。毒はないものの、かまれると「針のように鋭い」歯で出血するとされる。

今回のヘビが２つの頭を持つ理由について、同研究所は２つの胚が分離しなかったためと説明。「珍しい現象であるが、一卵性の双子が分離できず、１つの体に２つの頭がくっついた状態になることで起きる」としている。

双頭の個体はヘビ以外にもブタやヤギ、サメなどの動物で見つかる。

今回のヘビは自然界では生きていけないため、同研究所が保護して健康状態を観察している。

ヘビは生まれてから１カ月ちょっとで、定期的に食事を取ることができている。体調が改善した段階で博物館に預けるか、見学プログラム用に提供する計画だ。

Translation

(CNN) In Palm Harbor, Florida, USA, there was a recent incident in which a domestic cat caught a snake with two heads. Double-headed snakes were extremely rare.

An expert at the State Fish and Wildlife Research Institute told CNN that "I've seen two-headed turtles, but this is the first time for me to see a two-headed snake with my own eyes."

A double-headed snake was technically considered a single snake. It is unlikely that it was able to survive in nature.

The institute on Facebook explained the reason for its survive difficulty in that "The two brains make different decisions, and that impede their ability to eat or to escape from predators."

The snake, a species of Southern Black Racer, was often found in urban and rural Florida, but also inhabited various location in eastern United States. Although it was not poisonous, when bitten, the "needle-sharp" like teeth could cause breeding.

The institute explained that the snake had two heads because the two embryos did not separate. It supposed that "It's a rare phenomenon; monozygotic twins cannot be separated, a situation that two heads are attached to one body occurs."

In addition to snakes, two-headed animals could be found in pigs, goats, and sharks.

Since this time the snake could not live in nature, the institute protected it and observed its health condition.

The snake was a little over a month old and had been able to eat regularly. It was fine to leave it in the museum to improve its physical condition; the plan was to use it to provide a tour program.

              So, according to the institute, a two-head snake is more difficulty to survive in the wilderness because its two brains may make different decisions, and this can impede its ability  to eat, or to escape from predators quick enough.