Two-headed rattlesnake, named 'Double Dave', found in New Jersey

Experts say it is the first two-headed timber rattlesnake ever found in the US state of New Jersey.

A rare two-headed rattlesnake - named Double Dave - has been found in a forest in the United States.

The baby timber rattlesnake was discovered in New Jersey's Pine Barrens last month by environmentalists from the Herpetological Associates group.

The group, which is looking after the snake, has been studying endangered and threatened reptiles and amphibians since 1977.

Bob Zappalorti, chief executive of Herpetological Associates of Burlington County, said it was the first two-headed timber rattlesnake ever found in the US state of New Jersey.

Colleagues David Schneider and Dave Burkett - hence the nickname - stumbled across the days-old rattlesnake in a known nesting area in Burlington County.

They were not expecting to find one with two heads.

"I was just blown away," Mr Schneider told NBC News.

While its mother was looking the other way, he picked up the newborn, which he said "looked healthy".

"The extra head is definitely going to be a burden on it" in the wild and make it hard to get away from predators or crawl into holes, he said.

He said the right side appeared to be the dominant, as both heads pulled in different directions at the same time.

"We're just keeping our fingers crossed and hoping this thing stays healthy and we can keep it for a while," he added.

Source: news.sky