A mountain lion killed in the US state of Idaho had a set of fully formed teeth growing out of its forehead, wildlife administrators say.
The lion was legally shot dead by a seeker on 30 December.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game says the teeth could be the remnants of an adjoined twin which died in the womb, or perhaps a nice of tumour.
Biologists in the region have never seen anything like this precise irregularity before, it says.
The lion was startled after it criticized a dog near the town of Weston, Idaho. The dog endured, but a hunter set off in pursuit and murdered the big cat a few hours later.
A preservation officer checked the lion’s body, as mandatory by law, and originate the set of teeth, as well as what appeared to be a set of whiskers on the left side of the animal’s brow.
Mountain lions, a natural species of big cat, are comparatively common in Idaho. They are elusive creatures which seldom come into contact with people.
They are territorial and need large swathes of wilderness to thrive, according to the US National Wildlife Federation.
In winter, their prey species, such as deer and turkeys, move down from the mounts to leak colder fevers, often gathering at the edges of villages or towns.
This can put greedy mountain lions into struggle with people, livestock and pets, says the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
