Diamondback terrapin with two heads discovered in Massachusetts

A rare two-headed diamondback terrapin hatchling has been discovered in a protected nesting site in Wellfleet, located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The tiny reptile, weighing only 5.2 grams, was found by Mass Audubon workers at the Wellfleet Bay wildlife reserve.

The turtle suffers from bicephaly, a rare developmental anomaly where a single body develops two distinct and functional heads. This condition occurs during early embryonic stages when Siamese twins fail to fully separate. Veterinary teams at the Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable are currently providing specialized care, monitoring the hatchling’s growth, appetite, and motor coordination to understand how the two heads interact with the body.

This discovery is particularly significant because the diamondback terrapin is classified as a threatened species in Massachusetts. Experts noted that the Cape Wildlife Center has only recorded two other cases of this anomaly in the past five years.