Veterinary team performs emergency surgery on Tiger-Lily, a rare two-headed snake

Tiger-Lily, a unique two-headed western rat snake, was found to have an emerging health condition. (Missouri Department of Conservation)

St. Louis

A veterinary team had to perform surgery on a rare two-headed snake earlier this month.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the unique snake named Tiger-Lily sneezed up traces of blood while feeding about a week before it was scheduled to leave their care.

“This immediately raised a red flag with our staff, and we quickly got her an appointment with the Animal Health Team at the Saint Louis Zoo,” MDC Naturalist Lauren Baker said.

Upon evaluation, Saint Louis Zoo veterinarians discovered that the female snake’s ovaries were in pre-ovulatory stasis.

“Under normal circumstances, the ovary would grow follicles, then ovulate them as eggs to eventually be laid. In Tiger-Lily’s case, she began the reproductive cycle, but the follicles did not ovulate and instead continued to grow and remain static in her ovary. Over time this led to inflammation and the risk of infection,” Dr. Michael Warshaw, staff veterinarian at the Saint Louis Zoo, said.

The veterinary team determined the best treatment was to remove the female snake’s abnormal ovaries.

The animal care team said the surgery was successful, and the snake has been doing well while recovering.

“We appreciate the Saint Louis Zoo’s quick response and expert treatment. I am so happy that our two-headed gal is getting the care she needs, and we’re all wishing her a safe and speedy recovery,” Baker said.

The rare two-headed snake was discovered in Stone County in 2017 and named Tiger-Lily by the family who found her.

Reptile experts said Tiger-Lily is actually a pair of conjoined identical snake twins that were never completely separated. Such snakes are rarely seen in the wild, partly because snakes born this way have a low survival rate.

Western rat snakes are non-venomous and a common native species in Missouri.

‘He was just such a good person’: Man dies with his beloved horse in crash

Jose Hernandez reportedly died earlier this month in a collision while riding his horse. (GoFundMe)

Bakersfield, Calif.

A family in California is remembering a man and his horse after the two reportedly died in a collision.

Delma “Raquel” Salazar shared with KGET that her family is suffering after learning that her boyfriend, Jose Hernandez, died in a crash while riding his horse in Kern County earlier this month.

Hernandez’s stepdaughter Stephanie Salazar told KGET they are still trying to come to terms with the loss.

“It doesn’t feel real, it hurts a lot,” Stephanie Salazar said in an interview.

Raquel Salazar added, “He was just such a good person, with a big heart, he never talked badly about anybody; he always tried his best to help anybody.”

The family shared that Hernandez was known for his love of horses and riding them in the area where he died.

“He had that horse for a little over a year he trained it himself, he loved that horse, it was his pride and joy,” Raquel Salazar shared.

She has also started a GoFundMe to help raise money for Hernandez’s funeral arrangements.

KGET reports that Bakersfield police are continuing their investigation into the crash. Sgt. Eric Celedon said it is important to take precautions when riding in certain areas.

“If you are going to be riding a horse during nighttime hours, you are required to wear some sort of reflective equipment,” the sergeant shared. “We need to do everything we can to mitigate that risk as much as possible.”

Popeyes adding new Honey Lemon Pepper chicken wings to its menu

Popeyes announces the launch of its latest chicken wing innovation: Honey Lemon Pepper. (Business Wire)

Popeyes is adding another flavor to its chicken wings.

The fast-food chain announced this week that fans can add a sweet and spicy kick to their wings with its new Honey Lemon Pepper flavor.

“Each bite packs a sweet and tangy punch with zesty lemon and a bit of peppery heat from black pepper, giving you all the flavors you love about lemon pepper wings with an extra hint of honey sweetness,” the company shared.

The new flavored wings are currently available online and in the restaurant’s app before customers can order in person at participating locations on April 1.

The original wings are offered at a starting price of $5.99 for a six-piece order.

Popeyes wings also come in Honey BBQ, Roasted Garlic Parmesan, Signature Hot, Ghost Pepper, and Sweet ‘N Spicy flavors.

“We’re on a mission to continue transforming the wing game and elevate the wing flavors consumers know and love in a way only Popeyes can,” said Amy Alarcon, Vice President of culinary innovation at Popeyes.

Additionally, the six flavors of wings are available in 18 and 24-piece orders.

‘Devastating loss’: Baby giraffe dies after breaking neck at zoo

A Florida zoo says one of its juvenile giraffes was found dead after breaking its neck. (Zoo Miami)

Miami

A young giraffe at a zoo in Florida was found dead in its enclosure over the weekend.

Officials with Zoo Miami said one of their young female giraffes was found unresponsive Saturday morning by staff.

The animal was transported to the Zoo Animal Health Facility where a necropsy was performed that confirmed that the cause of death was a broken neck.

The animal care team said they can only speculate that something startled the animal and caused it to run into a fence, resulting in the fatal injury, since the incident happened overnight and it was not personally observed.

The giraffe was born on Dec. 15, 2023.

No other giraffe in the herd displayed any signs of trauma, and all have since returned to their normal routines, the team said.

According to zoo staff, they are continuing to closely monitor the herd for any indication of stress or abnormal behavior while searching for any indication of what may have happened.

“This has been a devastating loss, and all procedures are being carefully evaluated to help ensure the prevention of any similar incidents in the future,” the team shared.

Officials said Zoo Miami has had an exceptional record of caring for giraffes, with 60 being born throughout its history. It has also provided funding through the Zoo Miami Conservation Fund to various organizations in support of giraffe conservation in the wild.

Amber Alert canceled for missing 3-year-old and his mother after bodies found near park

The bodies of Kaiden Kriger, 3, and his mother, Savannah Kriger, 32, have been reportedly found near a park in Texas. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)

San Antonio, Texas

Texas authorities say the search for a 3-year-old boy and his mother has turned into a homicide investigation after they were found dead.

An Amber Alert was issued after Kaiden Kriger and his 32-year-old mother Savannah Kriger went missing Monday afternoon.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said Savannah Kriger left work early that day to pick up Kaiden from day care for a doctor’s appointment.

Savannah Kriger was last seen leaving her son’s day care center at about 2 p.m. driving a white 2023 Lincoln Aviator but authorities said the vehicle was later found abandoned at Tom Slick Park off State Highway 151.

According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, his office received a call Monday night for a welfare check that took them to the Kriger home.

Family members reportedly told authorities that they were not able to get in contact with Savannah Kriger.

Salazar said investigators found items that led them to believe there was a cause for concern for the missing mother and child.

According to Salazar, officers searched for Kaiden and his mother throughout the night until they located two bodies in a ditch behind the park Tuesday morning.

Salazar said they are “operating on the premise that it is Savannah and the child who were found.” He said there was evidence of gunshots that may have been fired and a gun was recovered at the scene.

“At this point, she [Savannah Kriger] is who we’re considering as the suspect,” Salazar said. “We don’t believe any other suspects are outstanding.”

Salazar said Kaiden’s father has been cooperating and helping police.

According to authorities, there had been an ongoing custody battle regarding Kaiden, including a custody hearing that was scheduled for Tuesday.

Salazar said the situation may have been a murder-suicide, but their investigation remains ongoing.