Three-eyed snake

Wildlife authorities have discovered a three-eyed snake on a highway in northern Australia.

The Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Service shared images of the "peculiar" creature online.

The baby carpet python was found by rangers near Humpty Doo, 40km from Darwin.

The 40cm-long reptile died just weeks after it was found in March, officials told the BBC.



It is believed the third eye, on top of its head, developed "very early during the embryonic stage of development".

Authorities said it was "almost certainly" a natural occurrence.

Alongside images of the snake on Facebook, Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife wrote: "Our Rangers found a three-eyed snake on the Arnhem Highway near Humpty Doo just out of Darwin.

"It was a juvenile, approximately 40cm long.

"The snake is peculiar as an x-ray revealed it was not two separate heads forged together, rather it appeared to be one skull with an additional eye socket and three functioning eyes.

"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."