SEEING DOUBLE - A TWO HEADED TURTLE BORN AT TEXAS ZOO
The San Antonio Zoo in Texas has welcomed a bizarre new addition - a two-headed turtle named Thelma and Louise. The female Texas cooter was born with four others on June 18 and is now on display at the zoo's Friedrich Aquarium - swimming and walking as normally as her one-headed brothers and sisters. Zoo spokeswoman Debbie Rios-Vanskike said that the turtle appears healthy and that staff do not predict her condition will cause any future health problems. The two-headed critter was named Thelma and Louise after the female duo in the 1991 Oscar-winning road movie of the same name. Craig Pelke, the curator of reptiles, amphibians and aquatics at the zoo, said that seeing bicephalic animals is uncommon, but it is not unheard of in the wild or in captivity. The condition is most common among snakes and turtles. 'At this time, Thelma and Louise are doing well on exhibit and eating with both heads,' Pelke added. Speaking to JewishNewsOne, he added that the turtle has a 'split' personality. 'The right side was looking around very curious and the left side was trying to bite me,' he said. The San Antonio Zoo is no stranger to two-headed reptiles. The facility was home to a two-headed Texas rat snake named Janus from 1978 until the creature's death to 1995. The condition has been seen among other species, too. In March, a two-headed shark was found by a fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico when he opened the uterus of an adult shark. In April, a two-headed pig was born in China. And earlier this month, a two-faced cat named Deucy was born in Oregon but later died from underlying health conditions.
Other great stories
SPECTACULAR SCENERY AT CHILEAN OBSERVATORIES
An Italian photographer travelled to Chile where he visited several star-gazing sites, home to some of the world's most advanced telescopes, located in the spectacular setting of the Atacama desert .
RESTLESS BEAR CUB
An adorable black bear cub struggles to find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap as he wriggles around on the branch of a maple tree .
AMAZING PANCAKE CREATIONS
From squids to Star Wars, these flipping marvellous creations are pancake portraits .
INDONESIAN FLOATING MARKET IS BURSTING WITH COLOUR
A floating market in Indonesia is bursting with vibrant colours as wooden rowing boats loaded with fruit and vegetables crowd the river .
FAST FOOD FISHING
THIS is the awesome moment an Osprey catches its prey travelling at 50mph, giving new meaning to FAST FOOD .
PENSIONER’S 100K MILK BOTTLE COLLECTION
FOR someone who hates milk, pensioner Steve Wheeler has got an udder-lot of it - nearly 20,000 bottles in fact .
DIABULIMIA LEFT ME INFERTILE AND GOING BLIND
For years Jeorgia Woodd, 30, abused her body, having succumbed to a condition known as 'diabulimia' .
WOMAN CRUELLY NAMED ’TUMOUR GIRL’ FINDS LOVE
A woman who was cruelly called ‘tumour girl’ by bullies has finally found love .
COLOURFUL KINGFISHERS DIVE FOR THEIR DINNER
A kingfisher’s bright blue and orange feathers glisten in the sunlight as the bird dives into a lake .
NERVOUS SQUIRREL
EAGERLY BITING his nails, this little squirrel is clearly nervous of looming predators as he searches for his meal .
PLAYFUL TIGERS GET UP TO MISCHIEF
SPLASHING in the water and fighting in-between rocks, these energetic tigers enjoy their fun-filled morning .
THIRD WHEEL OWL
PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds .