Does the existence of two-headed trout mean things are just fine in Southern Idaho's waterways?
According to The New York Times, that's more or less the conclusion drawn by the J. R. Simplot mining company, which commissioned a study including photos of two-headed trout spawned from fish caught in Southern Idaho creeks.
What's more, the report concludes that levels of the metal selenium should be allowed to reach higher levels than what laws currently permit.
Things got even stranger when, in an initial review, the Environmental Protection Agency seemed to agree with the report's findings, according to the Times.
But, in its own review, the Fish and Wildlife Service had some extremely unkind words for Simplot's report and now the company and EPA are on the defensive.
Less than a week before the controversial findings were released, Simplot's spokesman David Cuoio said his company didn’t know about the pictures of two-headed trout, the Jackson Hole News reports.
Even after the report was released, Cuoio didn't retract his statement, telling the Jackson Hole News the company was taking an "open, transparent and scientifically based approach to protect the environment.”
Call me a crazy Euro-tree-hugging-hippie-commie if you have to, but I hope this whole thing ends into a movie in which Sally Field and Julia Roberts are a team of amateur lawyers who sink the J. R. Simplot Company.
Super Fat Cat
This Thursday, April 19, 2012 photo provided by the Santa Fe Animal Shelter veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Steketee holds Meow, a 2-year-old tabby at the shelter in Santa Fe, N.M. Meow, arrived at the shelter weighing in at over 39 pounds, after his elderly owner could no longer care for the feline. The shelter plans to put the cat on a special diet so he can lose weight gradually. Adult cats typically weigh between 7 and 12 pounds. (AP Photo/Santa Fe Animal Shelter, Ben Swan)
Six Legged Calf
Six-legged calf "Lilli" stands on the pasture of its owner Andreas Knutti, in Weissenburg, Switzerland, Thursday, March 29, 2012. The calf was born seven weeks ago with two additional legs on its back. (Peter Schneider, Keystone / AP)
Two-Headed Tortoise
A man displays a two-headed turtle 'Testudo horsfieldi' at National Museum of natural history in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, March 5, 2012. Besides the two heads the reptile has six legs.
Two-Headed Trout
These photos were included in a report that advocated for increasing the amount of selenium in Southern Idaho's creeks.
Harvey Dent
Harvey Dent, the two-faced kitten born in Florida. Unfortunately Harvey Dent passed away from complications at just two days old.
Two-headed animals and other bizarre creatures
The two heads of this razorback musk turtle have been named Teeny and Tiny by Todd Ray of the Venice Beach Freakshow. He believes it is the smallest two-headed turtle he's ever seen.
6-Legged Lamb Born In Georgia
A Georgian farmer was shocked Jan. 25 when one of his sheep gave birth to a lamb with six legs. This peculiar critter has four legs at the front and two at the back.
Freeze-dried Two-headed Pig
Three-eyed Fish
Three-eyed Fish found near Argentina. Source: GIzmodo
Two-headed Turtle May Be Surgically Separated
Todd Ray, who has what is believed to be the world's largest collection of two-headed animals, is considering whether or not he should surgically separate this two-headed turtle.
Pig with Two Snouts
This tiny porker has an excuse for making a pig of himself at mealtimes - he really does have two mouths to feed.
The bizarre two-month-old youngster - part of a litter born on a farm in Deshengtang, Jilin province, northern China - can use both his mouths to eat and appears otherwise normal, say his owners.
Farmer Li Zhenjun and his wife Yu Wanfen named the piglet Xiaobao - or 'Babe' in English - after the movie about an extraordinary talking pig.
Li explained: "The mouths aren't much of an advantage because his head is very heavy and he gets pushed around by the others."
"I'm feeding her with a bottle now and she's doing very well," he added.
Two Headed Snake 2011
"Us" is a 2 1/2-year-old, 4-foot long, two-headed carpet python residing at the World Aquarium in St. Louis. According to aquarium President Leonard Sonnenschein, it may be the only one in the world.
Two Headed Turtle 2010
Sonnenschein likened this unique musk turtle to the Pushmi-pullyu from the "Dr. Dolittle" story.
Unicorn Cow 2010
A dairy farm in China has an unusual cow that has three horns -- two on either side of its head and one in the middle like a rhino horn. Farmer Jia Kebing, from Baoding in northern China's Hebei province, said the 2-year-old cow was born with a small bump on its forehead. "With time the bump grew bigger and longer and become a sharp horn," said Jia. The middle horn now measures nearly 8 inches long.
Two Head Cows 2010
Egyptian farmers feed a two-headed calf, which can't stand on its own legs because it is top heavy, at a village near Alexandria, Egypt.
2 headed calf 2009
A vet feeds five month two-headed calf "Milagritos" (Little Miracle) in Cajamarca, Peru, on Aug. 19, 2009.
We 2007
We, a two-headed hermaphroditic rat snake, lived at the World Aquarium in St. Louis for 8 1/2 years before dying in June of 2007. In 2006, the aquarium unsuccessfully attempted to mate it with another two-headed snake.
Two Headed Pig 2007
A newly born piglet with one head, two mouths, two noses and three eyes is reflected by mirrors on March 6, 2007, in China.
Two Headed Turtle 2007
Store manager Jay Jacoby displays a two-headed red slider turtle at Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter in East Norriton, Pa.
Birds 2006
Two baby conjoined barn swallows rest after a fall from their nest in Searcy, Ark. The rare bird discovery was made by a White County resident in her front yard.
Turtle 2007
Janus, the Geneva Museum of Natural History's two-headed Greek tortoise, is presented to the press and the public during the official celebration of its 10th birthday on Sept. 5, 2007. Janus, named after the two-headed Roman god was born Sept. 3, 1997.
Cow 2007
Kirk Heldreth pets his two-faced Holstein calf in 2007, in Rural Retreat, Va. Despite her malformed mouth, the calf named Star fed from a bottle and is won over Heldreth, who didn't expect her to live long after her birth. He had considered donating the calf to Virginia Tech for scientific purposes, or even selling her for show. Star has been drawing the curious to Heldreth's southwest Virginia farm, which sees about 40 to 50 visitors daily.
Six Legged Lamb 2006
Belgian grower Maurice Peeters holds a six-legged lamb a day after its birth March 18, 2006, in Meeuwen-Gruitrode.
Does the existence of two-headed trout mean things are just fine in Southern Idaho's waterways?
According to The New York Times, that's more or less the conclusion drawn by the J. R. Simplot mining...
Does the existence of two-headed trout mean things are just fine in Southern Idaho's waterways?
According to The New York Times, that's more or less the conclusion drawn by the J. R. Simplot mining...
The problem begins with the people....who don't seem to care what is in the air we breath, the water we drink, or the food we eat. BUT are very concerned with the way people live their lives, what they do in their bedrooms, who they love, , and what celbrities are wearing. Stop concern yourselves with your neighbors life, and concern yourselves with what these corporations and politicians are doing with your environment..EG your water, your food, your oceans, and your air
Truth-Justice-Equality: The problem begins with the people....who don't seem to care
This planet does not stand a chance. Yes these things happen in nature, and in itself does not mean much. But the statements and figures from a self investigative report means less. The EPA serves those who serve corporations. Here in southwest florida they measure the fertilizer levels in the bay water from areas which are less likely to have high levels. INDEPENDENT water test show what killer red algea blooms make obvious...There is a problem! So like a poster from Idaho near this waterway said drink up.
Truth-Justice-Equality: This planet does not stand a chance. Yes these things
Nothing to see here folks. The water is fine and the two-headed fish are edible. Let's serve it to the masses of the 99%, along with corexist tainted seafood from the gulf and tainted frack ground water from the midwest. The rich will live, the poor can ""adapt", it's called population control....
kanamartin: Nothing to see here folks. The water is fine and
two headed turtles,snakes,salamanders,lizards,squirrels.i can even say humans.its nature,and it happens.luckily the handicapped animals don't live very long.
carpman: two headed turtles,snakes,salamanders,lizards,squirrels.i can even say humans.its nature,and it happens.luckily
This is a result of Selenium, the same element that created Grebes with two beaks in California decades ago when it was discovered what an unpredictable mutagen it is. Not salt, let's just be clear on that .... Selenium, okay?
kwaut_lizard: This is a result of Selenium, the same element that
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First Posted: 02/23/2012 4:35 pm Updated: 02/23/2012 5:22 pm