Barnstable, MA, Oct. 14 (BUS): A rare two-headed terrapin turtle is still alive and kicking – with all its six legs – at the Beardsey Cape Wildlife Center in Massachusetts after hatching two weeks ago.
Staff at the center say this turtle, a threatened species in the state, feeds well on bloodworms and food pellets. The two heads work independently, exhale air at different times, and inside its shell are two intestinal systems to feed both sides of its body, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The turtle originally came from a nest in West Barnstable that researchers determined was in a dangerous location and should be moved. The Cape Cod Times reports that after hatching, turtles in these “scoop” nests are sent to various care centers to be monitored before releasing in the spring.
Center vet Priya Patel and other staff members will continue to monitor the turtle, which they named Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen after the twin stars. The staff hopes to get a CT scan to learn more about the circulatory system.
RAE