Strange two-headed blue-tongue lizard surprised reptile keepers

The weird lizard has been called Lucky for surviving its unusual deformity and Aussies are loving it.

Lucky the lizard is as Aussie as Aussie reptiles come — he has two blue tongues.

The rare blue-tongue lizard has caused quite a stir at the Australian Reptile Park, which doesn’t often see an animal with such a deformity survive in the wild.

Lucky was handed into keepers to look after and monitor daily.

They say two heads can result from the incomplete splitting of an embryo inside the egg.

Lucky the two-headed blue tongue lizard. Picture: Australian Reptile Park.

Reptile keeper Daniel Rumsey told the Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate animals with such deformities were often unable to eat or hunt properly in the wild, making them an easy target for prey.

“However, Lucky the blue-tongue is being treated with the utmost care and we hope he’ll live a long and happy life as perhaps the most unique lizards here,” he said.

“Unfortunately, these things can happen. We’ve seen two headed snakes, sharks and now lizards.”

Keepers were impressed he has survived in the wild. Picture: Australian Reptile Park.

The eastern blue-tongue lizard is one of the most familiar reptiles in Australia, growing up to 60cm in length.

The legs are small and can often be overlooked, a situation which sometimes means the harmless blue-tongue, with its large triangular head, is mistaken for a dangerous snake and inadvertently killed.

Originally published as Strange two-headed blue-tongue lizard surprised reptile keepers