1 of 1 The twoheaded tiger lily snake, — Photo: Missouri Department of Conservation The twoheaded tiger lily snake, — Photo: Missouri Department of Conservation
A highly unusual birthday celebration is taking 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 live in its country: Tiger Lily, a twoheaded snake that lives to be six years old.
This Saturday (7) at the Ruth & Paul Henning Conservation Center in the city of Branson, the snake (or snakes, judging by the double name) will host a celebration featuring handmade souvenirs, food and, of course, the vision of the reptile as well as explanatory presentations about his life.
The female snake was found in neighboring Stone County in October 2017 and donated to the MDC for care and display purposes. According to Alison Bleich, director of the MDC Interpretive Center, Tiger Lily is nearly 5 feet long and although her diet requires special care, she demonstrates a healthy appetite.
“Both heads want to eat, but there is only one esophagus,” explains Bleich. “So we cover one head while the other eats, then switch. Otherwise both would try to catch the same prey.”
The unique condition of the tiger lily brings other inconveniences such as: B. the greater difficulty of living in the wild and getting into the narrow hiding places in which these animals usually live. According to the MDC, if left to its own devices, it is likely that the twoheaded snake would not even live to half its current lifespan.
To show and teach a little more about this special snake (and common snakes too), MDC will be hosting TigerLily’s 6th Birthday Party with the local Missouri community. No registration is required for the event; participation is free of charge.