Visitors to a zoo in Ukraine have the rare opportunity to see a two-headed ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ snake. This unique creature has captivated visitors since it arrived at the zoo and has become a popular attraction for people from all over the region.
Aʟʙɪɴᴏ California Kingsnake Is Two-Headed!
The small ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ California Kingsnake, now on show in the Black Sea resort of Yalta, is quite a handful, zoo workers told AFP.
The snake’s two heads are ꜰɪᴇʀᴄᴇʟʏ independent, are not always in agreement, and like to sɴᴀᴛᴄʜ food from each other, said keepers of the private zoo, called Skazka, or Fairy Tale.
“Sometimes one head wants to crawl in one direction and the other head in another,” zoo director Oleg Zubkov told AFP.
Zoo worker Ruslan Yakovenko added that he tries to feed the snake’s two heads separately as they sometimes ꜰɪɢʜᴛ for food.
“If it is sᴛᴀʀᴠɪɴɢ, its heads may sᴛᴇᴀʟ food from each other,” he said, adding he also needs to separate the heads with a barrier.
“The second head may get ᴀɴɢʀʏ, but both then feel satiation because they only have one sᴛᴏᴍᴀᴄʜ,” he told AFP.
The private zoo said kingsnakes ʜᴜɴᴛ other reptiles, meaning one of the snake’s heads could instinctively try to ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ and ᴇᴀᴛ the other.
Europe’s Only ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ Two-Headed Snake!
While the snake is a fascinating and rare sight, it also raises important questions about the ethics of keeping ʙɪᴄᴇᴘʜᴀʟɪᴄ animals in ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ.
Some animal welfare advocates argue that these animals should not be kept in zoos, as they require special care and may not be able to thrive in a ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴇ environment.
The three-year-old, two-foot-long reptile is on loan from Germany.
Visitor numbers had nearly doubled since it was displayed in early July, said zoo keeper Yakovenko.
“Many enter the zoo feeling ʜᴏʀʀɪꜰɪᴇᴅ and leave delighted.”
The snake, believed to be Europe’s only ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ two-headed snake, will be on show in Ukraine until September.
Despite the ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏᴠᴇʀsʏ surrounding ʙɪᴄᴇᴘʜᴀʟɪᴄ animals in ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ, the two-headed ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ snake at the southern Ukraine zoo has become a beloved fixture for visitors.
Its unique appearance fascinates many people, and they enjoy watching it move around its enclosure.
Some visitors even come specifically to see the snake, which has become one of the zoo’s most popular attractions.
