Two-headed Vipera in Denmark

[Laura Bok]

Hey everybody,

I thought this link might be interesting for the adder-addicts:

http://www.repubblica.it/ambiente/2012/ ... 2386822/1/

Google Translate told me that this two-headed Vipera berus has been found for the first time in October 2011 in Denmark. Now it appeared again, obviously having survived the winter. Don´t miss to click through all 9 photos, since the first one suggests that it might be fake.

Of course I was instantly reminded of an older thread in a German forum, introducing a two-headed salamander. However, this one is probably still alive only because it is kept in a terrarium:

http://www.feuersalamander.de/forum/ind ... 6&pageNo=2

Have a nice weekend,
Laura

[Mario Schweiger]

Befor 10 years we had a double headed Coronella austriaca here in Salzburg, last year they found one close to Vienna.
http://www.fieldherping.eu/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=610

In the eighties I had 3 double headed Thamnophis s. sirtalis within one clutch. All died within 3 to 4 month without taking food.

But never a viper, although I´ve bred more than 500 Vipera ammodytes during 30 years.

Mario

[Mikkel Frederiksen]

The two headed adder was found at one of my favourite places. I have been herping there for several years.
The place is kind of unique, isolated and with a dense population of V. berus, (no melanistic specimens at all).

A possible explanation of why the snake has survived; One of the two heads might be " unfunctional "?
With only one functional head, it could be easier for the snake to hunt for prey?
The observer said that it only was only one of the two heads that flicked the tongue.

- There are no amphibians at the location, but A. fragilis, L. agilis and a small amount of rodents.
- The snakes have good natural sheltering, (for birds etc.)

I quickly recognized the stones/place when I first saw the pictures, and I have been looking
for the two-headed berus a couple of times now. But with no luck unfortunately..

[Jay Steel]

Wow! How fascinating. I'd love to photograph that adder. It's quite remarkable that it's managing to survive.

Jason