A group that monitors sea turtles in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, has reported finding a “very rare” two-headed turtle hatchling while on patrol.
The conservation group, named Sea Turtle Patrol, found the Loggerhead hatchling alive on Tuesday and released it into the ocean.
Posting a photo of the two-headed hatchling, Sea Turtle Patrol said: “We thought we had seen it all during this very busy season on Sea Turtle Patrol!”
We thought we had seen it all during this very busy season on Sea Turtle Patrol! Yesterday on patrol during a nest…Posted by Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island on Wednesday, August 28, 2019
The group said: “Yesterday on patrol during a nest inventory this bicephalic hatchling was discovered. This mutation is more common in reptiles than in other animals but it is still very rare.
“As with other live hatchlings found during a nest inventory, this hatchling was released to the ocean.”
The group’s leader, marine biologist Amber Kuehn, said a genetic mutation caused the second head on the turtle, which has been named Squirt and Crush.
