AHMEDABAD: A rare two-headed wolf snake hatchling has been rescued in Gujarat’s Dahod district, marking the first reported case of a two-headed snake in the state and the fifth such case reported in India.
The non-venomous hatchling was rescued from Dhanpur taluka by members of the ‘Prakruti Mitra Mandal’ and subsequently handed over to the Forest Department.
The snake was spotted in the Dhanpur range, following which members of the nature conservation group were alerted. A rescue team reached the location and found that the snake had an extremely unusual physical deformity, two separate heads and four eyes, but a single body below the neck.
According to Kinnar Desai, convener and rescue team leader of Prakruti Mitra Mandal, the team initially rescued the snake and brought it safely to Dahod for observation. Photographs were then sent to experts for species identification.
“After observing the snake, we sent its photographs to experts for identification. It was found to be a wolf snake, which is non-venomous. It is around five to six inches long and appears to be newly born,” Desai said.
The hatchling is estimated to be around six months old. What makes the discovery particularly unusual is that both heads appear to function independently, even though the snake has only one body.
Desai said such cases are extremely rare and are believed to occur in approximately one in a million snakes. According to the rescue team, four such cases have previously been documented in different parts of India, involving two common sand boas, locally known as Varudanti, and two cobras.
“The snake found in Agasvani is the first such case recorded in Gujarat and the fifth reported case in India. It is also reportedly the third case involving a wolf snake,” Desai said.
Wildlife experts describe the condition as bicephaly, a rare developmental abnormality in which the anterior portion of the embryo fails to separate completely during development, resulting in the formation of two heads or mouths on a single body.
However, the unusual anatomy can make survival difficult in the wild. Since the two heads may act independently, the snake can face problems while moving, hunting and feeding. Experts say survival may be possible in some cases if the oesophagus develops in a way that allows food to pass properly into the digestive system.
The rescued hatchling has now been kept in a secure location. Following consultations with the Forest Department, the snake has been handed over to the department’s custody for further care and observation.
The rescue team has also shared photographs with experts to support scientific identification and documentation of the rare occurrence. The discovery has drawn attention among wildlife conservationists because of the rarity of bicephaly in snakes and the fact that it represents the first reported two-headed snake recorded in Gujarat.