Calf with Six Legs
The Incredible Dr. Pol has encountered a pretty incredible calf.
In a new episode of the Nat Geo WILD show, the veterinarian treats a calf with a rare disorder called polymelia—in other words, extra limbs.
Polymelia is extremely uncommon: A 2002 study estimated that out of every 100,000 cattle born worldwide, fewer than four have extra limbs. But the phenomenon occurs across nature, as well, with reports in buffalo, chickens, frogs, and even people. The condition isn't fatal, though giving birth to offspring with extra limbs could prove more difficult. In many cases involving domestic animals, the extra limbs can be surgically removed.
In cattle, there’s some evidence that polymelia might be a heritable genetic disorder. But in other
