Janus is quite the celebrity in the animal world; as a two-headed tortoise he wasn’t expected to survive but is now set to celebrate his 23rd birthday.
He could be the oldest of his kind in the world and was born on September 3, 1997 from an egg hatched in an incubator at the Museum of Natural History in Geneva, Switzerland.
Named after the Roman god with two faces Janus has a strict daily routine to help keep him strong and healthy including daily baths and time under UV lights to help keep his shell strong.
Living in captivity at the museum is also credited with keeping him going for so long as in the wild he wouldn’t have been able to protect himself not being able to retreat his head and claws back when faced with danger.
According to an article written in 2017 about the famous tortoise his two heads both have separate brains and his carers say one is more dominant than the other.
Speaking to the Daily Sabah Janus is the star attraction at the museum pulling in the crowds who delight in watching one head attempt to steal food from the other.
According to Swiss Radio a woman bought an egg into the museum asking if staff could keep it in their incubator but when he hatched they decided to keep him.
Most tortoises can live for at least 80 years but Janus isn’t expected to reach such a ripe old age however, staff are doing their best to keep him healthy, ensuring he remains mascot for the museum for as long as possible.
Happy Birthday Janus! We hope you continue to live a healthy and happy life in your Swiss home. Please share.
