Snake eyes! Mutant three-eyed python called Monty is found in the Australian Outback - before tragically dying
- The malformed snake baffled rangers who found it in the Northern Territory
- Monty the python is believed to have been born with three functioning eyes
- Rangers confirmed that the three-month-old snake passed away last week
Park rangers have been left scratching their heads after finding a malformed three-eyed python in the Australian Outback.
The snake, who rangers named Monty the python, was discovered in the Northern Territory town of Humpty Doo on the Arnhem Highway several weeks ago.
The strange looking reptile - a Territory long carpet python - was just three months old, 40cms long and had three functioning eyes when he was picked up by wildlife experts in late March.
The three-eyed snake, named Monty by rangers, was discovered in late March
Monty, who was just three months old when he was found, in the Northern Territory town of Humpty Doo
Monty was taken for x rays after being found by wildlife experts
But caring for Monty was no laughing matter for the team at NT Parks and Wildlife as the the young snake struggled to feed due to his deformities.
Ranger Ray Chatto confirmed that poor Monty tragically died last week, adding it's unusual that the young snake was able to survive for so long out in the wild.
'It’s remarkable it was able to survive so long in the wild with it’s deformity and he was struggling to feed before he died last week, NT parks and Wildlife Ranger Ray told NT News.
After being found, Monty was sent for X rays, which revealed it was likely he was born with an extra eye socket and hadn't developed his third eye as a result of two separate heads merging together.
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Ray added that while it's rare for a snake like Monty to live for so long, it isn't unusual to find snakes with deformities.
He said: 'It was generally agreed that the eye likely developed very early during the embryonic stage of development.'
'It is extremely unlikely that this is from environmental factors and is almost certainly a natural occurrence as malformed reptiles are relatively common.'
A close up shot of a regular carpet python
Monty's remains are now being kept at the CSIRO research centre in Darwin.
Carpet pythons are commonly found throughout Australia and can grow up to three metres in length.
The non venomous species feast on frogs, lizards, birds and small mammals.
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