Hope is an albino turtle of Pinkbelly Sideneck species. The turtle was born with not just the peculiar appearance but also a protruding heart on his chest! Hope has a medical condition that not even an expert can name. And right now, Hope is given a lot of care to make sure he survives as long as possible since this peculiar heart position is common to come with other heart defects.

The same condition is known as Ectopia Cordis, a condition where a human baby is born with the heart growing outside the body. This condition happens to 1 in every 126,000 births. As for in the animal kingdom, the condition is so rare and that's why people hasn't given it a name. Hope has been a buzz across the world for a very good reason.

Meet Hope, the albino baby turtle who has a heart growing outside the chest.

Hope is born with a medical condition that is called ectopia cordis in human. There is no name according to veterinary medicine, but it is a concern because the heart is fragile. Yet, Hope is a strong little turtle that has been making people across the world happy.

Hope is a Pinkbelly Sideneck and is looking healthy!

While this condition is often accompanied with complications, Hope's owner Mike Aquilina has found his small turtle to be extremely active and does everything without problem. In order to make sure of the turtle's safety and health, however, Hope is separated from others.

Hope is small and born with a defect. But Hope brings so much happiness to others for being the same active turtle like others.

Mike Aquilina pointed out that Hope is much more fragile than others, but Hope is a growing, healthy turtle otherwise. Hope eats a lot and plays a lot. Hope does every kind of thing, temporarily convincing people that nothing is wrong with Hope.

Ectopia cordis happens to more than one baby in every 200,000 births and is a condition because the formation of the wall was not perfect. The organ ends up forming in the wrong places - sometimes partially in and others had almost the whole heart outside of the body.

Curious little Hope!

Hope's guardian gave Hope extra care from soft basking area to extra clean water.

Because of Hope's condition, the Aquilina pay extra attention to Hope's habitat, food and behaviors. He makes sure the water is always clean, scoop out any food leftover or waste and prepare a basking area that is soft (because the heart is right on his chest, outside the shell). Aquillina doesn't let the turtle play with others because they may accidentally poke on Hope's heart.

Let's root for Hope to continue be the active, full of energy turtle Hope is!