© EMMA R. SIEGEL
Jake, left and Elwood both have fully formed and completely functional heads and facial features and are able to eat, see, hear, and move their heads on their own.
A Milford couple has been protecting a colony of painted turtles on their property for years, but this was the first year the hatchlings included two-headed turtles.
Mike and Tanya Pfaeffle, who moved into their Milford home in 2008, quickly discovered a few northeastern painted turtles living on their property. Since then, they have watched over the turtles, whose numbers increase each spring.
"There were a few when we moved here. We don't really do anything except for putting cages over egg clutches to keep predators out each spring. This just gives them a chance," Mike explained. "This year there were five turtles, 35 eggs. Thirty-four of the eggs hatched, and the turtles are doing well. This includes the two-headed turtles that we found and were advised to bring inside to help them survive."
Two-headed turtles are extremely rare, but this year's hatchlings included two of them. One survived, and the Pfaeffles are caring for it (or them). They named the turtle Jake and Elwood.
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