Mutant Pig With Two Bodies, Eight Legs Discovered
A so-called "mutant pig" with two bodies and eight legs has died minutes after it was born in China.
Chinese farmer Gao Baiqi first discovered the strange pig, which seemed to have a parasitic twin. Baiqi, who currently resides in China's eastern Shandong Province revealed that he found the sow's litter along with the others only after they were born. The farmer had planned on hand-rearing the animal given its condition.
Baiqi said it has underdeveloped skin and struggled before it stopped breathing. "Besides having one head, two bodies and eight legs, the piglet appeared normal and had all other organs," Baiqi said.
He added, "I had prepared milk and wanted to feed it myself, but it died in a few minutes."
Reports note that after the pig's birth, the well-meaning farmer attempted to take the struggling piglet and feed it through his hand because the condition was too serious. New photos showing the mutant pig show that the would-be twins were fully formed, except the head. Baiqi confirmed that two full sets of internal organs were also found in the animal's body.
To date, Baiqi is still trying to figure out a scientific explanation about his "mutant piggy." However, it is believed that the birth defect was possibly the result of an egg that had not divided property. The piglet was buried on Baiqi's farm after he showed it to curious residents who leave nearby.
This is not the first time a "freak" animal was mentioned on the news in the recent months. Back in June, a piglet with two heads was saved from slaughter by a farmer who ended up keeping it as a pet. A video clip from the farm even showed the pig walking around without any help despite of its conjoined head.