Turkish Scientists Try To Save Siamese Twin Tortoises With One Digestive System And One Set Of Back Feet

Conjoined twin tortoises found in Pamukkale, Turkey. (Source: DHA via Daily Sabah)

JAKARTA - Finding turtles while you are traveling may not be a strange thing. However, finding conjoined twin turtles is definitely not a common thing.

A tourist who had traveled to the Turkish City of Pamukkale and was looking forward to enjoying the area that is home to the world-famous ancient travertine thermal pools, or white calcium "waterfalls" frozen in rock, stumbled upon this turtle.

The turtles were then handed over to the Denizli branch of the Directorate General of Nature Conservation and National Parks team, Turkey. They were then sent to the academic community of Pamukkale University.

Authorities at Pamukkale University took the conjoined twin tortoises under their protection Wednesday, November 10.

The turtle, believed to be around 3 months old, was then taken to a laboratory for examination. Professor Eyüp Başkale said the university would do everything it could to keep the conjoined twin tortoises alive.

"Looking closer, we can see that this species is a conjoined twin", explained Professor Baskale, citing the Daily Sabah on November 11.

What is of concern, according to Professor Baskale, is that these conjoined twin tortoises only have a single digestive system, as well as one set of hind legs.

"It is very unlikely that this species will survive in nature. We will try to keep the turtles alive in our laboratory. I hope we will succeed", he concluded.