An unusual discovery has been made in a yard in Northern Virginia that has snake specialists jumping. A two-headed baby copperhead was captured by a homeowner and given to a herpetologist to study.

The snake was identified as a venomous Eastern Copperhead and was transported to the Wildlife Center of Virginia for examination and testing. According to radiographs taken at the center, the snake has two tracheas and two esophaguses but the heads share lungs and a heart.

You’re probably wondering if one head is more dominant than the other, and the answer is yes. The left head is more active than the right, but both are capable of eating prey – and biting.

Experts state that the right head’s esophagus is more developed and better suited for feeding, but the dominant left head poses a challenge. Since the snake has been under the center’s care, it’s been kept under observation and won’t be available for public viewing.

Two-headed snakes are extremely rare, and their survival in the wild can be short-lived due to their physical development and predators. According to an expert interviewed by the Washington Post, two-headed creatures often fight with one another, and during feeding time, they are often left vulnerable to predators because of how long it takes them to eat.

Additionally, when attacked, it’s said that they are slowed down in their response time because they have two brains. Watch this video to catch a glimpse of the baby snake and to hear about what plans are in store for its future.

Do you love or hate snakes? What do you think of this anomaly of nature? Have you ever encountered a rare animal like this in the wild?