Fate of two-headed lizard surprises everyone

The two-headed gecko that won the hearts of many people around the world Simon and Garfunkel was euthanized after refusing to eat and losing weight.

This reptile lived for nearly two months. It amazed everyone that both of its heads could eat independently.

However, the caretakers at Rockstar Geckos reported that it had become lethargic, stopped eating, and lost weight in its final days. Consequently, the caretakers made the difficult decision to put it to sleep.

How were the gecko lizards born?

Simon and Garfunkel unexpectedly hatched from an egg on June 29 at a breeding center run by a couple in northeastern Pennsylvania. There were no signs of anything unusual in the egg, but a two-headed gecko emerged.

Caretakers initially doubted it would live long, as animals born in such conditions often face serious health problems.

Nevertheless, the gecko developed well. A day after hatching, it shed its skin without assistance. It was placed in a specially adapted enclosure to make feeding easier.

At four weeks old, it weighed only 1.8 grams Both heads ate independently, and neither was dominant over the other. Its body structure prevented them from biting each other.

Simon and Garfunkel had dicephaly — a very rare developmental anomaly that causes an animal to be born with two heads. A 2010 scientific review noted that only four such cases had been documented in three lizard families until then.

Typically, healthy crested geckos live for 15–20 years in human care. However, there is no set life expectancy for two-headed geckos.

Fans who followed the fate of Simon and Garfunkel took the news of their death hard. Many expressed their hope to see the geckos reach adulthood and sent condolences and words of gratitude to the caretakers.