Janus, a two-headed turtle turns 25, a record

UNUSUAL – For many turtles, crossing the 25-year mark is anecdotal. But not for Janus. This two-headed turtle is the first in the world to reach a quarter of a century. The Natural History Museum of Geneva (Switzerland), where she resides, has decided to celebrate her birthday this Saturday, September 3.

This turtle was born in 1997 in this same Museum and has since become the mascot of the place. She is watched over by Angelica Bourgoin, who takes great care to protect this extraordinary specimen. ” He duplicated everything. It shares only the small intestine, bowel, bladder, and kidney. Otherwise, everything else is duplicated. Regarding the motor function, the right head will train the right side, the front and back legs. The left side will lead the left front and rear legs”explains the healer to the Reuters agency.

A turtle mini-spa

For Angelica Bourgoin, the daily care provided by her team at the Geneva Natural History Museum has contributed to her exceptional longevity. ” I think it is thanks to the attention we give her and our dedication that she is still here today. “, continues the one who does not hesitate to whisper to the turtle to stimulate it.

To keep him fit, caregivers feed Janus organic salads and give him daily massages and baths with green tea and chamomile. For exercise, he takes regular walks, sometimes to music, and rides on a custom-made skateboard.

Two heads, two hearts and four lungs

Janus, who has two heads, two hearts and two pairs of lungs is under constant surveillance in case he rolls over, which could be fatal. He previously suffered from a large urinary stone which was removed in an operation in 2020 and made a full recovery.

A two-headed turtle would not normally survive long in the wild, as it cannot retract its heads into its shell for protection from predators.

Janus has two distinct personalities, with different moods and tastes, which can sometimes lead to conflict, for example over which direction to walk. ” What I noticed is that the right head is more curious, more awake, it has a much stronger personality. The left head is more passive and very greedy said Angelica Bourgoin, adding that one head had a weakness for endives and the other for carrots.

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