News
Scientists Shocked At Conjoined Deer Fawns

Scientists Shocked At Conjoined Deer Fawns


A man from Minnesota was looking for mushrooms and came across something incredible – conjoined fawns. He found them in Freeburg, Minnesota, two years ago a mile from the Mississippi river, but unfortunately they weren’t alive.

A researcher from the University of Georgia – Gino D’Angelo – has been studying the fawns ever since, and has said that when they were found the were recently deceased and dry. He has also said that he believes these are the first conjoined fawns to ever make it to full term and be delivered by their mother. All other cases of conjoined fawns die in-utero.

“It’s amazing and extremely rare,” D’Angelo said. “We can’t even estimate the rarity of this. Of the tens of millions of fawns born annually in the U.S., there are probably abnormalities happening in the wild we don’t even know about.”

Tests conducted by the University of Minnesota – which included an MRI and CT scans – and found that the female fawns have the same body, but two separate necks and two separate heads. It was confirmed that these fawns were still-born, as their lungs sank when placed in water. Other abnormalities included two gastrointestinal tracts, with only one connecting to the anus, two hearts, two spleens, and a single malformed liver.

“Their anatomy indicates the fawns would never have been viable,” D’Angelo said, adding; “Yet, they were found groomed and in a natural position, suggesting that the doe tried to care for them after delivery. The maternal instinct is very strong.”