Let’s put aside the fact that many of us cannot fathom why you would want to shoot and kill a wild mountain lion. This is Southeast Idaho after all, I guess options for fun time are somewhat limited.

So how to explain a mountain lion with a separate set of teeth growing out the back of its head? With great difficulty, wildlife experts left stunned by something they say they have never seen before. Here’s ISJ:

“It has all of us scratching our heads,” said regional wildlife biologist Zach Lockyer. “It’s a bizarre situation and a bizarre photo”…

What would cause this type of deformity? Fish and Game biologists and veterinarians have a few theories.

For one, the teeth could be the remnants of a conjoined twin that died in the womb and was absorbed into the lion killed last week. Conjoined animals in nature are very rare occurrences.

The biologists and veterinarians said it could also be a teratoma, which is a rare tumor that can contain hair, teeth and bones. In rare circumstances, a teratoma can also sprout more complex body parts such as eyes, fingers or toes.

Like conjoined twins, teratomas are rare in both humans and animals but have been documented in canines and horses.

A third theory, which Lockyer believes is unlikely, is that the mountain lion suffered an injury to its jaw and the teeth healed in an unusual way, causing the abnormality. However, the pictures do not show any evidence of an injury to the mouth, and it appears the lion possesses a normal set of chompers in its mouth.

It appears the truth will only be known if the hunter decides to bring the lion in for an in-depth analysis. Given that he saw fit to shoot the thing in the first place I find it doubtful that he gives two hoots about the medical significance of his kill.

Stuff it and stick it up on the wall. Yeehaw.

[source:isj]