NewsVideoPolycephalyuk news

Two-Headed Lamb Born In Tarkwa, Ghana (PICTURE)

Two Heads Are Better Than One
Sara C Nelson
|

A two-headed lamb has been born in a village in Ghana.

According to MyJoyOnline, the animal was born on Monday next to a spare parts shop in the town of Tarkwa and is completely normal in all other respects.

Little more is known about the black and white lamb, but one man who has a better idea than most is Todd Ray, the star of an American TV series called ‘Freakshow’.

Open Image Modal

The black and white two-headed lamb appears completely normal in every other way

Ray, who has the dubious honour of being the owner of the largest collection of two-headed animals in the world, says he hopes the owners pay close attention to the animal’s heads to see if one is more dominant.

He told Huffington Post: “People often try to feed both mouths, but one may not have a functioning throat or it may have an obstruction.

“If one head seems more capable, feed that one because there’s only one stomach.”

By the way Ray owns a two-headed goat, a two-headed chicken and two living two-headed six-legged bearded dragons. (Try saying that after a few).

Ray, who displays his collection at the Venice Beach Freakshow in Los Angeles, added the weight of the two heads may make it difficult for the baby animal to stand up and that while it may eventually gain strength, its owners should not let it lie down too quickly after feeding.

He said: “If it lies down too soon, it could block air getting into the throat.”

The condition of having more than one head is known as polycephaly, a word derived from a Greek terms “poly”, meaning “much” and “kephali”, meaning “head”.

Two-headed animals and other bizarre creatures
Five-Legged Holy Cow!(01 of24)
Open Image Modal
This five-legged cow's owner, Laxman Bhosale, said the cow "holds the essence of Hindu religion" and touching its fifth leg will help "fulfill all your wishes," BBC reports.Now, the holy cow is on tour in India. Newly released photos show it decorated in beads and fancy fabric, hanging out in the back of a fancy trailer, according to the Daily Mail. Her fifth leg protrudes from her shoulder and neck area.READ MORE
Super Fat Cat(02 of24)
Open Image Modal
This Thursday, April 19, 2012 photo provided by the Santa Fe Animal Shelter veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Steketee holds Meow, a 2-year-old tabby at the shelter in Santa Fe, N.M. Meow, arrived at the shelter weighing in at over 39 pounds, after his elderly owner could no longer care for the feline. The shelter plans to put the cat on a special diet so he can lose weight gradually. Adult cats typically weigh between 7 and 12 pounds. (AP Photo/Santa Fe Animal Shelter, Ben Swan) (credit:AP)
Two-headed Turtle Hatches At San Antonio Zoo(03 of24)
Open Image Modal
A two-headed turtle has hatched at the San Antonio Zoo and officials have named her Thelma and Louise. (credit:AP)
Six Legged Calf(04 of24)
Open Image Modal
Six-legged calf "Lilli" stands on the pasture of its owner Andreas Knutti, in Weissenburg, Switzerland, Thursday, March 29, 2012. The calf was born seven weeks ago with two additional legs on its back. (Peter Schneider, Keystone / AP) (credit:Peter Schneider, Keystone / AP)
Two-Headed Tortoise(05 of24)
Open Image Modal
A man displays a two-headed turtle 'Testudo horsfieldi' at National Museum of natural history in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, March 5, 2012. Besides the two heads the reptile has six legs. (credit:Efrem Lukatsky, AP)
Two-Headed Trout(06 of24)
Open Image Modal
These photos were included in a report that advocated for increasing the amount of selenium in Southern Idaho's creeks. (credit:Newsy)
Harvey Dent(07 of24)
Open Image Modal
Harvey Dent, the two-faced kitten born in Florida. Unfortunately Harvey Dent passed away from complications at just two days old. (credit:mysuncoast.com)
Two-headed animals and other bizarre creatures(08 of24)
Open Image Modal
The two heads of this razorback musk turtle have been named Teeny and Tiny by Todd Ray of the Venice Beach Freakshow. He believes it is the smallest two-headed turtle he's ever seen. (credit:Todd Ray/ Venice Beach Freakshow)
Three-eyed Fish(09 of24)
Open Image Modal
Three-eyed Fish found near Argentina. Source: GIzmodo (credit:Gizmodo)
Two-headed Turtle May Be Surgically Separated(10 of24)
Open Image Modal
Todd Ray, who has what is believed to be the world's largest collection of two-headed animals, is considering whether or not he should surgically separate this two-headed turtle. (credit:Todd Ray/ Venice Beach Freakshow)
Pig with Two Snouts(11 of24)
Open Image Modal
This tiny porker has an excuse for making a pig of himself at mealtimes - he really does have two mouths to feed.The bizarre two-month-old youngster - part of a litter born on a farm in Deshengtang, Jilin province, northern China - can use both his mouths to eat and appears otherwise normal, say his owners.Farmer Li Zhenjun and his wife Yu Wanfen named the piglet Xiaobao - or 'Babe' in English - after the movie about an extraordinary talking pig.Li explained: "The mouths aren't much of an advantage because his head is very heavy and he gets pushed around by the others.""I'm feeding her with a bottle now and she's doing very well," he added. (credit:Europics CEN)
Two Headed Snake 2011(12 of24)
Open Image Modal
"Us" is a 2 1/2-year-old, 4-foot long, two-headed carpet python residing at the World Aquarium in St. Louis. According to aquarium President Leonard Sonnenschein, it may be the only one in the world. (credit:World Aquarium and Conservation for the Oceans Foundation )
Two Headed Turtle 2010(13 of24)
Open Image Modal
Sonnenschein likened this unique musk turtle to the Pushmi-pullyu from the "Dr. Dolittle" story. (credit:World Aquarium and Conservation for the Oceans Foundation)
Unicorn Cow 2010(14 of24)
Open Image Modal
A dairy farm in China has an unusual cow that has three horns -- two on either side of its head and one in the middle like a rhino horn. Farmer Jia Kebing, from Baoding in northern China's Hebei province, said the 2-year-old cow was born with a small bump on its forehead. "With time the bump grew bigger and longer and become a sharp horn," said Jia. The middle horn now measures nearly 8 inches long. (credit:Quirky China News / Rex / Rex USA)
Two Head Cows 2010(15 of24)
Open Image Modal
Egyptian farmers feed a two-headed calf, which can't stand on its own legs because it is top heavy, at a village near Alexandria, Egypt. (credit:AP)
2 headed calf 2009(16 of24)
Open Image Modal
A vet feeds five month two-headed calf "Milagritos" (Little Miracle) in Cajamarca, Peru, on Aug. 19, 2009. (credit: Eduardo Lozano, AFP / Getty Images)
We 2007(17 of24)
Open Image Modal
We, a two-headed hermaphroditic rat snake, lived at the World Aquarium in St. Louis for 8 1/2 years before dying in June of 2007. In 2006, the aquarium unsuccessfully attempted to mate it with another two-headed snake. (credit:James A. Finley, AP)
Two Headed Pig 2007(18 of24)
Open Image Modal
A newly born piglet with one head, two mouths, two noses and three eyes is reflected by mirrors on March 6, 2007, in China. (credit:Ruan Banhui / SQDSB / ChinaFotoPress / Getty Images)
Two Headed Turtle 2007(19 of24)
Open Image Modal
Store manager Jay Jacoby displays a two-headed red slider turtle at Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter in East Norriton, Pa. (credit:Matt Rourke, AP)
Birds 2006(20 of24)
Open Image Modal
Two baby conjoined barn swallows rest after a fall from their nest in Searcy, Ark. The rare bird discovery was made by a White County resident in her front yard. (credit:Samuel Peebles, Daily Citizen / AP)
Turtle 2007(21 of24)
Open Image Modal
Janus, the Geneva Museum of Natural History's two-headed Greek tortoise, is presented to the press and the public during the official celebration of its 10th birthday on Sept. 5, 2007. Janus, named after the two-headed Roman god was born Sept. 3, 1997. (credit:Fabrice Coffrini, AFP / Getty Images)
Cow 2007 (22 of24)
Open Image Modal
Kirk Heldreth pets his two-faced Holstein calf in 2007, in Rural Retreat, Va. Despite her malformed mouth, the calf named Star fed from a bottle and is won over Heldreth, who didn't expect her to live long after her birth. He had considered donating the calf to Virginia Tech for scientific purposes, or even selling her for show. Star has been drawing the curious to Heldreth's southwest Virginia farm, which sees about 40 to 50 visitors daily. (credit:Earl Neikirk, AP)
Six Legged Lamb 2006(23 of24)
Open Image Modal
Belgian grower Maurice Peeters holds a six-legged lamb a day after its birth March 18, 2006, in Meeuwen-Gruitrode. (credit:Yorick Jansens, AFP / Getty Images)
Gemini The Two-Headed Cat(24 of24)
Open Image Modal
Gemini, a kitten from Rhode Island, had an unfortunately short life. (credit:NBC-10 News)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip