A bizarre cyclops foal born with just one eye in the middle of its head has been examined by vets in Argentina.

The young horse was born in the remote village of Coneta, in the department of Capayan, in the province of Catamarca, in north-western Argentina.

Grim photos of the foal shared on social media show a huge diamond-shaped eye in the centre of its forehead.

Its tongue can be seen sticking out from a malformed mouth and nose, and vets said it would not live long due to breathing problems, according to local media.

Experts said they did not expect the foal to survive more than a few hours.

It is unclear whether the cruel deformity was caused by a genetic disorder, pollution or illness, causing the embryo to not develop properly in its mother’s womb.

The photograph reportedly caused a stir after it was shared on social media, with local news outlets reporting on the bizarre birth.

Locals reportedly fear that other animals in the area may be affected by the genetic malformation.

There have been no further updates on the animal and it is currently unclear if it has survived.

Congenital malformations are a significant problem in livestock and are often caused by hereditary mutations, according to the National Institute of Health in the US.