Mystery snake-like creature baffles Burmese as it moves along the ground
- 4 years ago
This mystery creature baffled Burmese when it saw seen moving across the ground like a snake.
The long, thin animal was seen outside a Buddhist monastery in Sagaing province in Burma, also called Myanmar, on January 10.
It appeared to have a life of its own, feeling a path across the ground and even negotiating a plant that was sprouting up through the gravel.
Locals believe the creature to be a root from a Banyan tree that had come alive after being manifested with a spirit. Folklore claims the trees can come alive.
The monk who filmed the video, Baw Di Myaing Monk, said he was walking along the undeveloped road to make an offering of food to Buddha when he saw the mystery creature.
He said: ''I thought it was a snake then when I looked closer it was too thin and moved very slowly. I watched it for a while and it went into the grass. I was in amazement and told everyone to come and see it.''
Despite local folklore suggesting the roots of the tree had come alive, biologists believe the animal to be a parasitic horsehair worm that had left the body of its host.
Horsehair worms, also known as nematomorpha, are most commonly between 3cm and 10cm long but in extremely rare cases can grow up to two metres in size.
The monetary is located in the town of Bhamo, in the north of Burma, some 400 miles north of the capital, Rangoon, or Yangon.
The long, thin animal was seen outside a Buddhist monastery in Sagaing province in Burma, also called Myanmar, on January 10.
It appeared to have a life of its own, feeling a path across the ground and even negotiating a plant that was sprouting up through the gravel.
Locals believe the creature to be a root from a Banyan tree that had come alive after being manifested with a spirit. Folklore claims the trees can come alive.
The monk who filmed the video, Baw Di Myaing Monk, said he was walking along the undeveloped road to make an offering of food to Buddha when he saw the mystery creature.
He said: ''I thought it was a snake then when I looked closer it was too thin and moved very slowly. I watched it for a while and it went into the grass. I was in amazement and told everyone to come and see it.''
Despite local folklore suggesting the roots of the tree had come alive, biologists believe the animal to be a parasitic horsehair worm that had left the body of its host.
Horsehair worms, also known as nematomorpha, are most commonly between 3cm and 10cm long but in extremely rare cases can grow up to two metres in size.
The monetary is located in the town of Bhamo, in the north of Burma, some 400 miles north of the capital, Rangoon, or Yangon.