Democracy Dies in Darkness

A ‘McNugget’-size turtle hatchling born with two heads is doing well, but survival is uncertain

October 11, 2021 at 3:55 p.m. EDT
A weeks-old two-headed diamondback terrapin sits in a gloved palm. Staffers at the Cape Cod branch of the New England Wildlife Centers are monitoring the rare case. (New England Wildlife Centers)
4 min

Two heads poke out from under a single green shell covered with diamond markings, four turtle eyes observing the surroundings.

An image shared by the Cape Cod branch of the New England Wildlife Centers shows the tiny diamondback terrapin hatchling sitting in the center of a gloved palm, six legs holding up a two-headed body. The wildlife center says it’s the first such case it has seen.