The Double-Nosed Dogs of the Amazon

At this point in the blog's history, we've all seen some pretty strange stuff. But this particular story—if it’s true—ranks as one of the weirdest I've ever come across.

British explorer Colonel John Blashford-Snell recently journeyed to the forests of Bolivia in search of a meteor that he believes once struck the Amazon Basin. According to this report by the BBC, the colonel and his fellow explorers brought along a church organ from England, hoping the present might entice the locals to help them hunt for the giant hunk of space rock. (Odd fact #1.)

Though the elusive meteor wasn’t discovered, the expedition still proved fruitful. During a visit to the village of Ojaki, Colonel Blashford-Snell encountered the offspring of an unusual dog that he’d seen on an earlier South American trip. Like its mother, the sixteen-inch-high hunting dog boasted one exceptional trait. It had been born with two snouts. (Odd fact #2.)

The locals claim there are many such animals (known as Double-Nosed Andean tiger hounds) living in the surrounding area. Colonel Blashford-Snell believes they are descendants of a legendary breed of Spanish double-nosed dogs known as Panchon Navarro, which may have been imported to South America by the Conquistadors. (Odd fact #3.)

Apparently, the double-nosed dog of Ojaki goes by the name of Xingu and likes to hang around with a wild pig named Gregory. (Odd fact #4.) He’s become something of a celebrity—even the Bolivian army has paid him a visit. (And taken a little DNA while they were at it.)