World's Oldest Two-Headed Tortoise Turns 25 Years Old

According to the Natural History Museum of Geneva, Janus (25) is the world's oldest bicephalic tortoise.

He has 2 hearts & 2 pairs of lungs.

He cannot retract his heads into his shell & flipping over is fatal.https://t.co/PwLEXDgyjH…#ResistanceEarth #ONEV1 Z21 #wtpBLUE pic.twitter.com/ZrpVmNZ1rm

— Carmen Goodwin, PhD😷☕🌶 💛🇺🇦 🚫by@MorningAnswer (@TCRG2012) September 4, 2022

Tortoises are known for living very long lives. So, living just a couple of decades isn’t normally a big deal for them, but it is cause for celebration when we’re talking about a two-headed tortoise. Meet Janus—the two-headed tortoise who just turned 25, making it the oldest living two-headed tortoise in the world.

Janus, who is named after the two-headed Roman god, holds a special place in the museum's heart and amongst those who work there. He first arrived at the museum in 1997 as an unhatched egg. At the time, the museum had an animal facility that housed an incubator. It was a surprise to everyone when a baby tortoise with two heads emerged.

Ordinarily, the lifespan of a tortoise can stretch from 80 to an impressive 150 years, but Janus is no typical tortoise. The tortoise’s keeper Angelica Bourgoin explains that both of Janus' heads are equally functional, and need to work together for him to move forward, as each brain controls a different side of his body. Also, she explains, one personality is stronger than the other, and they don't always agree. Sometimes, they even want to go in different dieections. Janus also has two hearts and two pairs of lungs.

Ordinarily, tortoises withdraw their heads and tuck their feet beneath their shells for protection in their natural environment; but with two heads, Janus has insufficient room in his shell to hide. In the wild, this would have left him vulnerable to predators, and his life might have been cut short if he had been left to fend for himself. Also, if he were to tip over onto his shell, he wouldn’t be able to flip himself back, which would further threaten his safety.

The museum staff made the responsible decision to keep him as their mascot. Janus has not only survived the past 25 years, but he has also thrived under the wonderful care received.

Regarding his longevity and thriving health, Bourgoin says, “I think it's because of the attention we give him and our devotion that he's still here today.” The healthy tortoise receives organic salad and massages every day, as well as baths in green tea and chamomile. He wakes up to music, exercises every day, and he even has his own custom-made skateboard.

Given how beloved and well taken after he is, it felt only natural that Janus would do something special to mark his milestone birthday. To celebrate, the tortoise had a birthday party at the Natural History Museum in Geneva. The rapturous reptile snacked on tasty treats—including watermelon decorated with bright pansy flowers—to commemorate his special day.

With his fantastic lifestyle and the genetics of his species, we're hoping for an even bigger celebration in another 25 years.

Janus, the world's oldest two-headed tortoise, recently celebrated his 25th birthday at the Natural History Museum in Geneva.

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Named after the two-headed Roman god, Janus was born at the Geneva Natural History Museum on September 3, 1997, and is believed to be the world's oldest bicephalic tortoise. https://t.co/OtmJMQw92y

— Coast to Coast AM (@coasttocoastam) September 8, 2022