The Mountain Lion
A mountain lion has been discovered with a second set of teeth growing out
of its forehead.
According to Mirror Online, the fearsome-looking cougar was shot dead by an
unidentified hunter in Weston, southeast Idaho, last week.
The hunter then snapped a photo of the creature's carcass, showing sharp,
yellow teeth and white whiskers sticking out of the left side of its
forehead.
The image was sent to officials at Idaho Fish and Game's Southeast Regional Office in Pocatello, who were baffled by the lion's appearance.
“It has all of us scratching our heads,” regional wildlife biologist Zach Lockyer told the Idaho State Journal. “It’s a bizarre situation and a bizarre photo.”
The cougar's rare physical abnormality - which sees its extra teeth grow out of a patch of hard tissue - has sparked numerous theories about its cause.
The image was sent to officials at Idaho Fish and Game's Southeast Regional Office in Pocatello, who were baffled by the lion's appearance.
“It has all of us scratching our heads,” regional wildlife biologist Zach Lockyer told the Idaho State Journal. “It’s a bizarre situation and a bizarre photo.”
The cougar's rare physical abnormality - which sees its extra teeth grow out of a patch of hard tissue - has sparked numerous theories about its cause.
Some biologists suggest the teeth could be the remnants of a conjoined twin
which died in the lion's mother's womb, while others claim it may be a rare
tumor called a teratoma.
These types of tumour contain tissue and organ components - in some cases, hair, teeth and bones.However, both of these causes would be extremely rare, biologists told the newspaper.
Another theory is that an injury to the lion's jaw resulted in its teeth healing in an undocumented way. But Mr Lockyer considers this the most unlikely option, with the cougar's mouth showing no signs of injury.
The hunter now reportedly plans to take the big cat's carcass to a taxidermist. However, biologists are hoping the animal will be brought to them instead - so they can carry out a series of X-rays and other analyses to establish the cause of its second set of teeth.
These types of tumour contain tissue and organ components - in some cases, hair, teeth and bones.However, both of these causes would be extremely rare, biologists told the newspaper.
Another theory is that an injury to the lion's jaw resulted in its teeth healing in an undocumented way. But Mr Lockyer considers this the most unlikely option, with the cougar's mouth showing no signs of injury.
The hunter now reportedly plans to take the big cat's carcass to a taxidermist. However, biologists are hoping the animal will be brought to them instead - so they can carry out a series of X-rays and other analyses to establish the cause of its second set of teeth.
The mountain lion is the largest wildcat in North America.
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