A two-headed diamondback terrapin found at a protected Cape Cod nesting site is behaving normally as veterinarians monitor the 5.2-gram hatchling.
CBS Boston reported that the hatchling was discovered in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and placed under the care of the Cape Wildlife Center’s veterinary team.
The condition is called bicephaly, which means having two heads. The center plans to study how the terrapin’s heads and bodies function together as the animal grows.
“Our veterinary team will be closely monitoring the little terrapin as we learn more about how their two heads and bodies work together,” the center said.
Zak Mertz, CEO of New England Wildlife Centers, said the early signs were encouraging: “What I've heard from the vet team is that they are behaving normally, and both sides are looking very good.”
The team is watching the terrapin’s appetite, growth and behavior. The center has not given a cause for the condition or disclosed the hatchling’s sex.
Much also remains unknown about the animal’s internal anatomy and how its two sides will work together over time. That makes steady observation more useful than speculation.
The Cape Wildlife Center said it had encountered two other turtles with the condition during the past five years. Even with that experience, the team described the new hatchling as an especially rare case.
“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 center said.
Diamondback terrapins are considered a threatened species in Massachusetts, adding weight to the work now underway. The center shared a photograph of the hatchling on Thursday, though no absolute discovery date was provided.
The Barnstable wildlife center has handled several uncommon cases in recent years. Its veterinary team performed foot surgery on a goose in 2021 while the bird’s mate watched nearby.
In 2022, the center took in a coyote pup after a family mistook it for a lost puppy. It later helped a screech owl that had ended up inside a Barnstable bathroom.
This case presents a different challenge. The terrapin’s small size and unusual anatomy leave the veterinary team with basic questions that only time and close monitoring may answer.
Mertz said, “We're looking forward to learning everything we can about these two young turtles.” His wording reflected the animal’s unusual form, though the center described it as one hatchling with two heads.
Rare wildlife does not need hype. It needs careful stewardship, honest observation and respect for the facts.
