Two-headed, six-legged turtle found in the United States | Abroad

“No, you don’t see double,” writes the New England Wildlife Center, a local animal organization Facebook. “This diamondback turtle really has two heads.” The young animal was found at a protected Massachusetts nesting site and taken to a nearby veterinary hospital.

In principle, it is not a turtle, but twins who have grown up together in the egg. Just like humans, Siamese twins share certain parts of the body. An x-ray showed that the animals are attached to each other at the level of their spines and that they both have separate digestive systems. The twins “coordinate” together as they swim so that they arrive in time to breathe.

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Turtles are doing surprisingly well. “Animals with this rare disease often do not survive very long, but we are optimistic for this animal,” writes the Wildlife Center. “They have been with us for two weeks now and they remain bright and active. They eat, swim and grow every day. Experts believe the twins work well together to explore their surroundings.

The New England Wildlife Center therefore has hope, but it remains exciting. They are keeping a close eye on the turtles’ situation and hope to do better research when they have grown a bit.

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