It's not every day that park biologists find a two-headed sea turtle!
That's how the Cape Hatteras National Seashore captioned its video posted on Facebook on August 17.
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The scene takes place at Cape Hatteras, located on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina on the US East Coast. The national park has provided a series of explanations for this incredible discovery in the comments to the video.
An endangered species
The species in question is a loggerhead turtle. This sea turtle measures an average of one metre and weighs 115 kilograms, according to data from National Geographic. Although rather large, this species is nonetheless threatened. It is classified as 'Vulnerable' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in particular because of shrimp trawling.
Two-headed sea turtleAre two heads really better than one?! It's not everyday that park biologists find a two-headed sea turtle! Video taken by NPS Ranger M. Matthews #TurtleTuesday #CapeHatteras #FindYourPark #SeaTurtle
Posted by Cape Hatteras National Seashore on Tuesday, August 17, 2021
A similar discovery in late July
The specimen in the video was discovered in a nest during a dig. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore said it was 'in good health' with 'good flippers,' but that its survival once in the water would be compromised due to its genetic mutation. The two-headed turtle was released into the ocean with the other babies found in the nest.
The discovery comes just one month after a two-headed loggerhead turtle was found in South Carolina, as reported by WXII-TV.
