turtle

Meanwhile in South Carolina: Rare Double-Headed Turtle Discovered on Beach

They say two heads are better than one, but we never thought Mother Nature would take that saying seriously. Apparently, she did, as evidenced by a recent double-headed turtle discovered on a beach in South Carolina.

“Edisto Beach State Park sea turtle patrol had a very rare find,” wrote a representative of the South Carolina State Parks on its Facebook page. Volunteers and park employees discovered a trio of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings in a nest, but one of these creatures was not like the others.

Photo: South Carolina State Parks

Two-headed sea turtles are rare, but it isn’t the first time one was discovered in South Carolina. The extra noggin is due to polycephaly, an embryo malformation, which can happen because of environmental or genetic causes. Unfortunately, this malformation can affect the animal’s lifespan and ability to reproduce, so while it may look cool, it’s kind of a death wish.

For now, the two-headed turtle in question has been released back into the ocean, where we hope it won’t get bullied too hard for being a little different than the rest of its kind.

Cover Photo: South Carolina State Parks

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