Barnstable (Mass), Oct 13 (AP) A rare two-headed diamondback terrapin turtle is alive and kicking -- with all six of its legs -- at the Birdsey Cape Wildlife Centre in Massachusetts after hatching two weeks ago.

A threatened species in the state, this turtle is feeding well on blood worms and food pellets, staff at the centre say. The two heads operate independently, coming up for air at different times, and inside its shell are two gastrointestinal systems to feed both sides of its body.

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The turtle originally came from a nest in West Barnstable that researchers determined was in a hazardous location and needed to be moved.

After hatching, turtles in these so-called “head start” nests are sent to different care centres to be monitored before their release in the spring, The Cape Cod Times reported.

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Centre veterinarian Pria Patel and other staff will continue to monitor the turtle in the coming weeks. They're hoping to perform a CT scan to learn more about its circulatory system. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)