1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Three-eyed python found in Australian outback

Louisa Wright with dpa
May 2, 2019

Australian park rangers found a three-eyed snake dubbed "Monty Python" near Darwin in the Northern Territory. An X-ray showed the extra eye was not the result of two heads forged together, but a natural malformation.

A snake with a third eye high on its skull, found in Humpty Doo in Australia.
Image: Facebook/Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife

Park rangers in Australia have found a three-eyed python near the outback town of Humpty Doo, just outside of Darwin in the Northern Territory.

The juvenile carpet python, about 40 centimeters long, was found on the Arnhem Highway in late March with a malformed skull and an extra eye protruding from the middle of its head. 

"An X-Ray of the snake's head was obtained which 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," Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife wrote on their Facebook page.

Mutation likely genetic, from before birth

It was generally agreed that the eye likely developed very early during the embryonic stage of development, the authority wrote.

"It is extremely unlikely that this is from environmental factors and is almost certainly a natural occurrence as malformed reptiles are relatively common."

But the small snake had struggled to feed since its discovery by the rangers and died last week, a spokesman told German news agency dpa on Thursday.

No Arya to save the three-eyed snake

The department first posted the photo of the python on its Facebook page on Wednesday, saying: "The three-eyed snake warns The Dry is coming!" in reference to the TV show Game of Thrones.

A key character in the show is called "the three-eyed raven," while the phrase "Winter is coming" features prominently.

The Facebook post drew considerable attention, quickly reaching 1 million views.

The island of men and snakes

04:53

This browser does not support the video element.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

Skip next section Explore more
Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW