Villagers were left spooked after a baby goat was born with conjoined eyes - with many mistaking the small animal for an alien.
Owner Kheri Rajak was left baffled when the nanny gave birth to the unique-looking kid. The goat's eyeballs were found to be fused together in the centre of its face, but it also had no eyelids, meaning it was unable to blink. Its fused eyes are located directly above its mouth, from which its oversized tongue dangles listlessly.
The mother had given birth to two kids last week in Sirsaud, Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, India - but the kid's siblings were born looking normal and completely healthy, according to reports. Crowds reportedly formed to catch a glimpse of the strange-looking farm animal. Kheri said the goat's mother was showering the baby with love and was keeping it close to her. The goat is believed to have a genetic disorder known as cyclopia - a congenital defect characterised by fusion of the orbits into a single cavity containing one eye.
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Cyclopia can be caused by genetic mutations, exposure to teratogenic substances, chromosomal abnormalities, maternal illness, or poor nutrition. Most embryos with the defect are either miscarried or stillborn, but a small number are born alive, only to die hours later. The condition is rare in animals, and even rarer in humans.
In some cases documented in farm animals, the nose and mouth fail to form, or the nose grows from the roof of the mouth. This obstructs airflow and the animal suffocates within hours.
In November 2022, another farmer in India was left astonished after his goat gave birth to a kid with cyclops eyes. The kid was born with two large eyes fused together in the middle of its forehead, with news of the birth spreading quickly across the community, prompting amazement from onlookers.
Crowds of people rushed to see the rare phenomenon after it was born in Sultanpur, India. The baby goat was found to have two eyeballs under one eyelid. Goat owner Umesh Maratha, who had been raising goats for years, said it was the first time he had seen anything like it. The animal's unique appearance left several villagers in disbelief, and some compared the lamb to a human.
