Rare Two-Headed Turtle Hatches In Odisha’s Nandankanan

Bhubaneswar: A rare two-headed turtle has hatched at the reptile park of Nandankanan Zoological Park, on the outskirts of  Bhubaneswar, reports said on Tuesday.

“One of the two hatchlings born to a turtle, belonging to the rare red-eared slider species, on Monday turned out to be two-headed,” said zoo deputy director Sanjeet Kumar.

He further said it could be a case of genetic disorder and needs to be studied by experts.

This is perhaps the first instance of a turtle with two heads being born in Nandankanan. Curators and veterinarians of the zoo are consulting the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and other experts. It has been kept in a container at the reptile park and zoo officials are trying to provide a suitable environment for the young one, sources said.

The red-eared slider turtle is an attractive animal because of its tiny size and appealing colour.