Brian Barczyk, the beloved reptile enthusiast, YouTuber, and founder of The Reptarium, was a man whose passion for wildlife knew no bounds. Tragically, Brian passed away on January 14, 2024, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. His legacy, however, lives on through his incredible work and the countless lives he touched, including those of his most famous scaly residents: Ben and Jerry, the two-headed snake.

Most two-headed snakes, a phenomenon known as polycephaly, face incredibly long odds. The vast majority don’t survive past their first year, often succumbing to the complex challenges of having two brains trying to control one body. But Ben and Jerry? They were different. They were Brian’s pride and joy, a living testament to the resilience of nature and the power of dedicated care.

Imagine the daily drama! Two heads, two distinct personalities, often with different ideas about where to go or what to eat. Brian’s videos often showcased their quirky antics, from vying for the same piece of food to surprisingly coordinating their movements. He’d marvel at how they navigated the world, a true marvel of biological wonder.

What made Ben and Jerry so special, beyond their unique physiology, was Brian’s profound connection with them. He didn’t just house them; he understood them, cared for them, and shared their incredible journey with a global audience. He even held contests to name their individual heads, a charming touch that deepened the connection between his viewers and these extraordinary creatures.

At four and a half years old, Ben and Jerry had already beaten incredible odds, thriving under Brian’s watchful eye. He believed that once they passed the critical first year, their chances of living a full life, potentially another 18 to 20 years, increased dramatically. They were a beacon of hope and fascination in the reptile world.

Brian’s passing leaves an immeasurable void in the hearts of the “Reptile Army” and countless animal lovers. But his spirit of wonder, education, and unwavering dedication to animals, especially his beloved Ben and Jerry, continues to inspire. The Reptarium and the upcoming LegaSea Aquarium stand as testaments to his vision, ensuring that the magic of creatures like Ben and Jerry will continue to amaze and educate for generations to come.

So, the next time you see a fascinating creature, remember Brian Barczyk. Remember Ben and Jerry. And marvel at the incredible, often challenging, but always awe-inspiring wonders that nature, and the dedicated people who love it, bring into our lives. Their story is a powerful reminder that even the most improbable lives can flourish with care, compassion, and a whole lot of love.

Rescuers took in the dehydrated, starving calf, and took her into the care of the team at Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development (HERD), where she has since healed from her traumatic experience.

Adine Roode (founder of HERD) expressed concern about whether the effects of emotional trauma would be too great for Khanyisa to make a full recovery. However, the infant elephant surprised everyone with her fiery determination.

The first concern was treating the severe wounds left behind by the snare. Khanyisa received treatment from expert care providers and wildlife veterinarians, who cut away dead skin and stitched the lacerations when they were certain there was no infection.

In the first days after her arrival, her carers also struggled to bottle-feed the infant due to the deep, painful wounds surrounding her mouth and her cheeks.

While the staff strived to overcome the issue of bottle feeding, they also had to ensure her nutrition was balanced enough that she didn’t suffer from diarrhea, a common threat to the health of rescued baby elephants.

“[It’s] one of the biggest threats to their health,” HERD explained. “It can cause dehydration and the loss of essential nutrients in their system.”

There have been concerns as to the challenges Khanyisa may face due to her albinism. So far, her severed ear is working as normal, but she will always continue to battle with bright sunshine due to her impaired eyesight.

The progress she’s made bodes well for her overall recovery.

In April of 2020, when her wounds had completely healed, Adine Roode, founder of HERD, started the steady integration with the local “Jabulani Herd” of elephants, who accepted Khanyisa into their family.

Khanyisa now spends her days from sunrise to sunset in the wild with the herd and returns to the orphanage to stay in the care of her human family, who also provide essential milk formula, which she will be dependent on until she is approximately 4 years old.

“We could not have wished enough for a more favourable outcome,” HERD wrote. “Thank you to all our amazing followers from so many parts of the world! Khanyisa has captured your hearts as much as she has captured ours. We appreciate all the support!”

The гeѕсᴜe mission was on. We immediately mobilised our helicopter, picking up Dr Limo of the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit and Wildlife Works ѕeпіoг management before heading south. Wildlife Works had organised vehicles to meet us at the scene, which would be ⱱіtаɩ in рᴜɩɩіпɡ the elephants oᴜt.

First, the team approached the larger of the two elephants, who was in her late teens. Her entire side was moulded in the mud, making it very dіffісᴜɩt to secure straps around her. Fortunately, our innovative Kaluku welders had manufactured long, hooked poles for this very purpose. Between these helpful accessories and no small amount of digging, the team managed to weave the straps beneath her stomach, which were then attached to a vehicle on the other side of the dam wall.

We hoped that the second elephant would be easier, as she was about eight years old and quite a Ьіt smaller than the first case. As it transpired, however, this was wishful thinking. One of the vehicles Ьгoke, so the team had to rely on a tractor that lacked the ideal horsepower for the job. On top of this, the glue-like mud made it dіffісᴜɩt to snake the all-important straps beneath the elephant’s stomach.

Thank you for the сгᴜсіаɩ гoɩe you play in these гeѕсᴜe missions. As the drought continues to take һoɩd, we will see these scenarios аɡаіп and аɡаіп. Indeed, the team was back in action just a few days later, saving a very special pair from the same muddy tгар — a story which we will be sharing soon. Your support allows us to help elephants in their time of need, evening the scales as they navigate this сһаɩɩeпɡіпɡ period.

Named Fluffy by its rescuers, the hard-shelled animal – that’s neither fluffy nor cuddly – is from across the pond and has a “nasty bite” that can sever a finger with one snap.

Keep reading to learn why this prehistoric creature poses a huge threat to the little lake in Cumbria, England.

Last week, a dog and his owner were strolling the shores of Urswick Tarns – a limestone-rich area known for an abundance of flora and fauna – when they came across a dinosaur-like creature, with spiky armor covering its back.

Not knowing what it was, the person snapped a photo of the peculiar animal and shared it on Facebook, hoping to find some answers.

The post captured the attention of Denise Chamberlain, an Urswick parish councillor, who previously worked in Florida and recognized the carnivorous creature that can give someone a “nasty nip.”
Speaking with PA Media (through the Guardian) Chamberlain said, “I looked at it and immediately thought, ‘oh goodness, I know what you are.’” Identifying the animal as a juvenile alligator snapping turtle, she added, “These turtles have a natural defence mechanism: when you go near them, they open their mouth.”

Chamberlain then went on a rescue mission to safely fish out the turtle, likely abandoned by an owner no longer wanting to care for the fierce creature whose powerful jaws can easily snap through bone

The dinosaur-like turtles, typically found in swamps and rivers across the southern U.S. and in Central and South America, can grow up to 200 lbs and live more than 100 years.

“These species are invasive, they’re non-native and I knew it was going to upset the ecology of the tarn, which is very finely balanced,” she said of the turtle, who has no natural predators and would clean the tarn of its wildlife. “That type of creature, while it’s not going to breed, could do some real damage to the fish stocks and eat all sorts of local wildlife.”

The rescue

Never having handled this type of animal before, Chamberlain proceeded with extreme caution. Armed with safety gloves to protect her fingers and a shopping basket to carry him to a new home, she entered the murky waters.

She said the angry-looking turtle “just sat in the shadows,” his beak resting above the waterline. “It was lurking around the top so it could catch the rays of the sun but [the turtle] stays underwater and breathes.” She added, “It looked like a prehistoric little dinosaur.”

Because the water and the turtle were cold, it was easy to capture, but not before warning her captor by opening her powerful jaws.

“Fortunately, because it was quite cold and the turtle itself was quite cold, it wasn’t too difficult to manoeuvre into the shopping basket,” Chamberlain adds.

‘Please don’t abandon’ pets
Following a raw chicken feast, Chamberlain then took the turtle to Wild Side Vets in Barrow-in-Furness.

“It’s certainly the first one we’ve seen at the clinic – they are kept in the UK but they’re certainly not a common thing you would see at the vets,” said Dr Kate Hornby, the owner of the clinic and a veterinarian. “It would certainly give you a nasty nip and it could probably do significant damage to a finger or finger end, but at this size, it’s not particularly dangerous.”

Wild Side Vets urges people to be more considerate when getting a pet.

“We believe he had been abandoned at the tarn. If you are struggling to keep your reptile, please feel free to talk to us in confidence, no judgement and we will do our very best to help.” The post, which also includes photos of the turtle who’s believed to be about five or six years old, continues, “Please don’t abandon or keep any reptile in suboptimal conditions. We can help.”

Fluffy

Speaking with PA Media, the vet says, “We haven’t been able to identify whether it’s male or female due to its size – but we’re calling it Fluffy for now.”

Chamberlain adds, “I think the name Fluffy is very appropriate – it’s a reference to the creature in Harry Potter. And as someone on Facebook said, it certainly looks like a creature Hagrid would love.”

Meanwhile, locals are giving the turtle and his rescuers a lot of love on social media.

“Fluffy, got to love that name for such [an] unusual creature but beautiful to see and so glad he/she was brought to you to be taken care of,” writes one netizen.
A second shares, “Ahh bless him – so glad he turned up at the right place to find the right people to help him x.” and a third adds, “Wow, what an awesome looking thing, I mean, I wouldn’t want to cuddle him but still, he’s amazing.”

This week, the shelled creature will be relocated to a wildlife center in Cornwall, where he (or she) can live in more suitable conditions.

We are also very happy “he turned up at the right place to find the right people.” Please be very careful when you’re getting a pet and do your due diligence, remembering they won’t stay small forever.

When I got close enough to look, I was overcome with horror. There wasn’t a rope. It was not a snake, either. In front of me crawled a slow-moving column of roughly 150 caterpillars, which I subsequently counted! They moved in a straight line, densely packed together, as if guided by an invisible leader. I had no idea this was possible, let alone in my own yard!

Where were they heading? Why are there so many? These questions refuse to leave my head. Some feel that moving caterpillars in groups can deter predators. Perhaps they find food more easily that way. Perhaps it’s a strategy to save energy: the ones in advance clear the path, so the ones in back don’t have to work as hard. Do you know where they came from or where they were going?

A routine drive turned into a viral sensation for one Louisiana mom who stumbled upon a strangely tailless alligator making its way across Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish. The unusual sighting quickly captured the attention of the internet, with thousands of people sharing and reacting to what many are calling a “half an alligator.”

FROM CONFUSION TO VIRAL FAME

On May 19, Ashlyn Bartholomew had just dropped off her sons at baseball practice when something caught her eye on the road. At first, she wasn’t even sure what she was seeing.

“I couldn’t tell if it was an alligator, a big dog, or what,”Bartholomew toldNola.com.“It was the first time I ever saw an alligator without a tail.”

As the creature slowly waddled across the road — its gait awkward and uneven without the weight and balance of a tail — Bartholomew instinctively pulled out her phone and began recording.

“HALF AN ALLIGATOR” — FACEBOOK REACTS

Later that day, she posted a photo and short video to Facebook with a warning for fellow locals:

“Y’all be careful. There’s half an alligator walking on the road.”

The post quickly went viral, racking up thousands of reactions and shares by May 28. People across the U.S. were both fascinated and heartbroken by the unusual reptile, who appeared to be navigating life remarkably well despite its missing limb.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TAIL?

So what causes an alligator to lose its tail — a body part so crucial for movement, defense, and swimming?

Robert Mendyk, a reptile expert from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, offered some insights. He says there are two likely explanations:

A boat propeller injury, which can occur in Louisiana’s many bayous and swamps.

A fight with another alligator, which is Mendyk’s leading theory.

“If it was bitten off, it was probably another male gator with a serious bite force,”Mendyk explained.

ALLIGATORS ARE TOUGH SURVIVORS

Despite the shocking appearance, Mendyk emphasized that alligators are incredibly resilient creatures.

“The wound likely healed naturally,”he said.“Alligators have phenomenal healing and regenerative abilities. The body walls off the wound, and it closes over time.”

While a missing tail may reduce the gator’s agility and balance — especially in water — it doesn’t necessarily threaten its life. Mendyk also noted that amputated alligators are not unheard of, particularly in the wild where territorial fights are common.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While no one knows exactly how this tailless gator lost its tail, one thing is clear: it’s a survivor. And thanks to one Louisiana mom’s quick thinking and curiosity, the world now has a rare glimpse into the resilience of nature.

From Facebook fame to expert fascination, this “half-gator” has become an unexpected symbol of strength — waddling through life with or without a tail.

What followed was a desperate, dangerous, and ultimately inspiring act of courage that gripped an entire community and soon captivated the wider public. This is the story of how a group of ordinary people became heroes when they saved a helpless animal from certain death, reminding the world of the enduring connection between humans and the animals they care for.

A Routine Day Turns Into a Nightmare

It was early morning when Joaquim Ferreira, a local farmer and horse breeder, first noticed something strange.

His horses were agitated, running frantically near the edge of the forest that bordered his land. Their panicked behavior was unusual, and as someone who had raised horses for over thirty years, Joaquim immediately knew something was wrong.

Approaching cautiously, Joaquim saw a nightmare: Esperança, a young mare, ensnared by a massive green anaconda. The snake had struck from the river, coiling around her neck, torso, and legs. Joaquim screamed for help and charged forward with only a stick and raw determination. Anacondas kill by constriction, not venom — every second mattered. Neighbors soon arrived with machetes and ropes.

Killing the snake wasn’t an option; it was protected. They had to separate beast from horse — without shedding blood.

In 2016, A Camel, Tied With Its Legs Bound In Sweltering Temperatures Topping 120 Degrees, Finally Snapped—Turning A Hot Afternoon Into A Headline-Grabbing Tragedy No One In The Village Will Soon Forget.

The Incident Took Place In The Barmer District Of India, A Desert Region Already Infamous For Its Punishing Climate. According To Reports, Temperatures Had Soared Past A Blistering 109 Degrees Fahrenheit, Leaving Both Humans And Animals Gasping For Relief.

But For One Unfortunate Camel, There Was No Escape.

Tethered In The Scorching Sun For Hours Without Water Or Shade, The Animal’s Patience – And Perhaps Its Spirit – Finally Snapped.

Distressed camel
Times Of India Reports That The Camel’s Owner, Identified As Urjaram, Had Been Entertaining Guests Inside When He Suddenly Remembered His Animal Had Been Left Outside, Tied Up And Helpless Under The Brutal Sun.

Witnesses Say The Camel Had Been Visibly Distressed, Pacing And Growling – An Eerie Warning Of What Was To Come.

When Urjaram Finally Approached To Untie The Beast, The Camel Erupted In A Fit Of Rage That Shocked Everyone.

Revenge
What Followed Was Nothing Short Of Gruesome.

Eyewitnesses Described The Horrifying Moment When The Camel Lunged, Grabbed Urjaram By The Neck, And Flung Him To The Ground.

“The Animal Lifted Him By The Neck And Threw Him On To The Ground, Chewed The Body And Severed The Head,” A Local Told The Publication Of The Animal, Who Reportedly Bit Into The Man’s Body Repeatedly, Even Severing His Head In Front Of Stunned Villagers.

But The Violence Didn’t End There. The Camel Continued Its Rampage, Refusing To Calm Down. It Took 25 Villagers Nearly Six Hours To Finally Restrain The Frenzied Animal, Using Ropes And A Truck To Drag It Away From What Was Left Of Urjaram.

What Makes This Even More Disturbing Is That Several Locals Claimed This Wasn’t The First Time The Two Had Clashed. There Was, According To Them, A Long-Standing Tension Between The Owner And The Camel – A Storm Waiting To Break.

Gentle giants
While Camels Are Often Seen As Gentle Giants – Valued For Their Loyalty, Endurance, And Ability To Thrive In Harsh Desert Conditions – This Tragedy Has Sparked A Serious Conversation About Animal Welfare And Human Responsibility.

Experts Warn That While Camels Are Generally Docile, They Can Become Dangerously Unpredictable When Mistreated Or Pushed Beyond Their Limits.

Crushing strength
Animal Behavior Specialists Have Pointed Out That Despite Their Relaxed Appearance, Camels Are Powerful Creatures.

Weighing Up To 2,200 Pounds And Armed With Muscular Jaws And Deadly Kicks That Can Strike In All Directions, Camels – Bactrian (Two Humps) And Dromedary (One Hump) – Are Far From Harmless When Provoked.

A Camel Expert Told The Sun: “A Full Grown Adult Can Fit Your Head, Arm, Leg Or Torso In Its Mouth. They Have Enough Strength To Crush Arms And Legs Along With Your Neck, While Kicking Forwards And Backwards.

“Camels Will Do A Combination Of All Those Things While Kneeling Forward To Crush You.”

Camels fight back
Incidents Of Camel Attacks, Though Rare, Have Been Recorded Worldwide, Most Recently In 2023 When A Bactrian Retaliated Against His Owner, Who Struck The “Peaceful” Camel In The Face After Tugging Strongly On The Animal’s Rein.

According To The Sun, The Creature Trampled His Owner To Death At A Children’s Holiday Camp In Siberia.

“The Animal Did Not Appreciate Such Treatment,” Said A Local Report, Per The Sun.

Then, In March 2022, Two Men Trying To Capture A Camel Who Escaped From A Petting Zoo Were Cornered And Killed By The Beast. The Animal Then Tried To Attack Police As They Loaded The Inured Men Into An Ambulance.

Before That Horrifying Incident, Another Camel Charged At The Owner Of A Wildlife Sanctuary In Mexico.

“The Camel Kicked And Bit Him Practically To Death, And When He Was Almost Dead, He Sat On Him,” The Sun Reported Of Richard Mileski, 60. “Between The Blows And The Weight Of The Camel On Top Of Him, He Was Asphyxiated.”

These Stories Stand As A Brutal Reminder That Animals, No Matter How Domesticated They Seem, Have Breaking Points. Treat Them With Kindness And Respect And You’ll Get The Same In Return!

Are You Team Camel Or Team Human? Please Let Us Know Your Thoughts And Then Share It With Your Friends So We Can Hear From Them!

Rescuing animals can be both difficult and extremely stressful.

Sometimes the animal in question can be stuck in an awkward place. Often it can be a tree, sometimes it’s a thorny bush – in the very worst cases, baby animals have somehow gotten away from their mothers and ended up in extremely tight spaces.

In these awkward situations, persistent, precise and careful people are needed.

Perhaps that’s often why firefighters do so well when it comes to helping trapped animals …

In 2018, fire captain Brian Vaughan received an alarm call and immediately understood the need for urgency.

Eight tiny, black-coloured dog pups had been found stuck in a drain well. Those who made the call believed that a litter of black Labrador pups had been abandoned in the pipe by their owners.

20 minutes after the fire brigade arrived, all of the animals had been successfully pulled from the drain. They appeared unharmed and were subsequently taken to the Humane Rescue Organisation in the Pikes Peak Region.

It was only then that people realised they hadn’t saved any dog puppies at all. In actual fact, the black pups had become a bundle of red.

“One of the vets at the place said: ‘No, these are not labradors, they’re foxes,’” Vaughan explained to CBS in Denver.

Foxes are extremely common in the areas surrounding the Rocky Mountains, which is exactly where this litter was found.

Travis Sauder, Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Manager, told CBS4 that he’s not surprised that the call was placed to the firemen. Nor that the foxes were found in the first place.

“This time of year there are a lot of animals that are starting to have their young, and they have them in small dens that are places that we can encounter when we’re recreating in the outdoors like we like to do,” Sauder said.

These firefighters in rescued what they thought were puppies from a storm drain… but it turns out they’re red foxes!
What to do now?

Reporter @AbeytaCBS4 shares the story: https://t.co/ubpMJjjj8h
(: Colorado Springs Fire Department) pic.twitter.com/Mksg0A0IJH

— CBSColorado (@CBSNewsColorado) March 16, 2018

According to Sauder, the foxes will be taken back to the pipe, in the hope that their mother will return to take care of them.

“These animals are going to be put back where we found them hoping that the mother is still in the area and can pick up the normal duties like she would. If the mom’s not around anymore we can take them to a licensed re-hab,” Sauder said.

Misunderstandings involving wildlife like this are not uncommon, so it’s always better to call an expert to identify the animal in question before trying to act yourself. Sadly, good intentions can sometimes make things worse for wild animals in cases such as this one.

Hopefully these fox cubs will be reunited with their mother before too long. Like and SHARE if you love animals of all kinds!

Recently, a strange sea creature washed ashore on a California beach and raised some interesting questions. Keep reading to find out everything that happened…

There are countless creatures in the deep ocean that are yet to be discovered by human beings. Our limited knowledge of the ocean and the sea creatures that exist within it is because of the expanse of the oceans and their depth, which makes it nearly impossible for human beings to be able to explore the oceans in their entirety.

A deep sea creature that washed ashore in California last week was another reminder of how little we truly know about the ocean.

On October 13, a strange creature washed ashore at Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach. It was identified in a Facebook statement by the California park as a Pacific footballfish. The fish typically dwells in the dark depths of the water and is rarely ever spotted by humans because of the harsh environment it is found in

The statement conveyed surprise at its discovery, “Guess who washed up just in time for Friday the 13th? It’s angler fish #2 at Crystal Cove State Park!” It continued, “In May of 2021, the same species of angler fish, Pacific Football Fish, was found onshore by a park visitor, creating quite the buzz. Two years later, the same species of fish washed up again last Friday, October 13th. What does it all mean?” they asked in a bone-chilling fashion, prompting thought on how this event could have occurred.

The eerie-looking creature has been taken by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife “for further research,” according to the statement.

There are over 200 species of anglerfish known to roam the oceans globally, the statement said. It also mentioned, “only females possess a long stalk on the head with bioluminescent tips used as a lure to entice prey in pitch-black water as deep as 3,000 feet!”

The Anglerfish have teeth that resemble “pointed shards of glass” and a massive mouth that allows them to swallow prey, which is “the size of their own body,” the statement shares.

As for how they reproduce, it is fascinating. Males of the species grow to only an inch as compared to females who can grow up to 24 inches. The statement mentioned how the reproduce, saying, the male “latch onto the female with their teeth and become ‘sexual parasites,’ eventually coalescing with the female until nothing is left of their form but their testes for reproduction.”

Spotting such a fish on the shore while it is completely intact is “very rare,” according to the park, the statement also noted “it is unknown how or why these fish ended up onshore.”

“Seeing this strange and fascinating fish is a testament to the curious diversity of marine life lurking below the water’s surface in California’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and as scientists continue to learn more about these deep sea creatures, it’s important to reflect on how much is still to be learned from our wonderful and mysterious ocean!” Crystal Cove concluded in their post.

It is fascinating how a creature that dwells in the deep sea made its way to the shore. It raises a lot of questions about what could have prompted its migration to more shallow waters. All of this currently remains a mystery!

According to the park, there was a similar incident two years ago, and the fish found in May 2021 is being kept in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.

If you found this story interesting, check out the one below about a boy finding a fish with human teeth!