Two-headed Turtle Found on Cape Cod

A rare two‑headed baby diamondback terrapin was discovered on a protected nesting site in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, on Thursday. The 5.2‑gram hatchling was brought to the Cape Wildlife Center by the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.

The center posted three photographs of the hatchling on Facebook, showing its two distinct heads. The condition, known as bicephaly, occurs when conjoined twins fail to separate fully during development. “While we’ve encountered this unusual condition before, every case gives us another opportunity to learn more about these fascinating animals’ anatomy and physiology,” the Cape Wildlife Center said. “Our veterinary team will be closely monitoring the little terrapin as we learn more about how their two heads and bodies work together.”

Bicephaly is most common in turtles and snakes but can occur in other animals. The turtle is only the second case the center has seen in five years; the first was a two‑headed “McNugget‑size” turtle with six legs in 2021.

Many two‑headed animals die young because of physical difficulties, such as competing for food or attacking each other. Reptiles tend to survive longer, National Geographic reports. The center is monitoring the hatchling’s appetite, growth, and behavior closely.

Diamondback terrapins are a threatened species in Massachusetts, adding significance to the find. New England Wildlife Center CEO Zak Mertz told CBS News that the team is eager to learn everything they can about the two young turtles and that the animals are behaving normally.

The Cape Wildlife Center’s veterinary team has handled a variety of unusual cases in recent years, including a screech owl that ended up in a Barnstable bathroom and a coyote pup mistaken for a lost puppy. This experience positions the center well to care for the two‑headed terrapin.