A fish with a ‘snake-like head’ has been found – and experts say it can survive for days out of water.
It’s the fourth time the invasive species has been spotted in the area, with the Department of Conservation confirming it was a northern snakehead fish, reports What’s The Jam.
In 2019, the first of its kind was caught in Missouri, US, with two more reported being found last year.
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The bizarre creature, which is one of three invasive snakehead species in the US, can grow up to three-feet long and has a python-like colouration and pattern; not to mention its uncannily similar head, too.
According to The Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries’ biologist, Dave Knuth, the fisherman left it on the pavement for a few hours for it to die on 25 May 2024 – but it never did.
It’s believed that officials transported the animal in a bag to different departments, where it was still breathing after four hours.
The MDC states that northern snakehead fish can survive without water so long as their skin stays moist.
They can also slither across land to return back into waters.
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Now, officials are urging people to be vigilant if they spot one of these fishes.
The characteristics to look out for include; large mouths full of pointed teeth, flat and scaly heads and very slimy skin.
The MDC has advised people not to release or throw the fish on the bank and to kill it immediately by severing its head, followed by gutting and placing it in a sealed bag.
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