This is a fascinating story about a snake found in Tasmania with a spinal condition that caused 28 marble sized lumps to grow on her back. The disease is called Charcott's disease and rocky is only one of 16 snakes worldwide to suffer from it. The disease that rocky has causes abnormal spine growth which shorten's the life span of the snake. Since this is a genetic disease, there is fear that rocky may pass this on to her offspring if she breeds. As a result, she is being kept in captivity. This is really interesting because it show how human intervention is being used to protect a species from passing on a gene in snakes - something I have not hear off before. The case that is being taken to provide for this one snake is an indicator of the length authorities and researchers in Tasmania go to to protect species. I wonder if there are other examples like this in Tasmania.
Rehan
Source:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2935892/Meet-Rocky-Tasmanian-tiger-snake-days-numbered-diagnosed-rare-spinal-condition-left-28-marble-sized-growths-back.html
Interesting! I'm glad she can still move well. I looked into Charcot's disease a bit and it turns out there is a variation that affects people too, called spinal osteoarthropathy... it looks like its also pretty rare though
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