Mastodawn

This turtle swam straight toward a fisherman seeking help, its mouth covered in thick barnacles. During the cleaning process, it stayed incredibly calm and obedient, as if it understood that the person in front of it was trying to help.
Until the very end, when it took a deep breath and dove back into the sea, that moment made all the effort feel completely worth it.
POV: Sometimes, helping is the real reward.
Source: cosy_joe #globalmuseum

Roy -- the dull one 2d ago

Amazing!

I wonder whether this turtle was rescued earlier in life and thus associates humans with help.

Full Metal Archaeopteryx 2d ago

Nice Bracelet, there

The Doctor 2d ago

@globalmuseum How do barnacles grow in a mouth?

varx/social 2d ago

@drwho @globalmuseum I saw some comments pointing out how the turtle doesn't close its mouth afterwards, and maybe has had a broken jaw.

I have no idea, but yeah, that could explain some things.

(Unlike those commenters, I don't blame the people on the boat for not doing more. Pulling that turtle up would be a non-trivial task, and they may not have realized the full situation at the moment.)

The Doctor 2d ago

@varx @globalmuseum If the turtle had a broken jaw, it's possible that it had other injuries that precluded hauling it aboard as well.

derptron 2d ago

@varx @drwho @globalmuseum Yeah, it's jaw is totally busted.

We don't actually see it come up to the boat or anything.

varx/social 1d ago

@crazyeddie @drwho @globalmuseum Well, I believe them that it came up to the boat, and they only started filming after.

I don't think this is a case of people abusing an animal and staging a "rescue" for views—how would that even work?

As someone noted here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLU3CvNuC6d/ -- the boat crew may not have actually had any way of bringing the turtle to a specialist.

Dr. Christine Figgener | MARINE BIOLOGIST & AUTHOR on Instagram: "A comment on this recent viral video of a #seaturtle that had a bunch of barnacles removed from its mouth filmed in front of Oaxaca, Mexico. Her jaw was broken and in an ideal world, she should have been taken to a specialized veterinarian and after to a rehab center, but neither are as easily accessible in the Global South as they are in the Global North. Neither is it allowed to remove endangered wildlife from its natural habitat without proper permission from the authorities. The crew of the boat did what they could in this moment. But what is more concerning (in my opinion): why was the jaw of the turtle broken? It is very likely the result of a fishing gear incident. Maybe she got tangled in a net and was then removed rather carelessly...by humans. Original video by stevie_versus_the_world #seaturtlebiologist #mexico #seaturtles #turtlerescue #seaturtleconservation #seaturtlelove #beoceanminded #savetheseaturtles #saveouroceans #marinebiology #conservationoptimism #iliketurtles"

2,102 likes, 100 comments - seaturtlebiologist on June 24, 2025: "A comment on this recent viral video of a #seaturtle that had a bunch of barnacles removed from its mouth filmed in front of Oaxaca, Mexico. Her jaw was broken and in an ideal world, she should have been taken to a specialized veterinarian and after to a rehab center, but neither are as easily accessible in the Global South as they are in the Global North. Neither is it allowed to remove endangered wildlife from its natural habitat without proper permission from the authorities. The crew of the boat did what they could in this moment. But what is more concerning (in my opinion): why was the jaw of the turtle broken? It is very likely the result of a fishing gear incident. Maybe she got tangled in a net and was then removed rather carelessly...by humans. Original video by stevie_versus_the_world #seaturtlebiologist #mexico #seaturtles #turtlerescue #seaturtleconservation #seaturtlelove #beoceanminded #savetheseaturtles #saveouroceans #marinebiology #conservationoptimism #iliketurtles".

Instagram

The Doctor 1d ago

@varx @crazyeddie @globalmuseum Did somebody say it was someplace? O.o

derptron 1d ago

@drwho @varx @globalmuseum I've seen this video before on another platform and it "came out" in conversation there that these people had done this to the turtle and that this is an ongoing problem. That the whole entire thing was staged and the turtle probably died as a result.

There''s probably no way to know. We entered the era of bullshit a long time ago. I can't tell the diff to know what I'm seeing.

The Doctor 1d ago

@crazyeddie @varx @globalmuseum I'm pretty sure you can't force barnacles to grow anywhere you want them do. I'm also pretty sure that if the turtle isn't cooperative, attempting to do so might cost one a couple of fingers.

derptron 1d ago

@drwho @varx @globalmuseum Not if it's conveniently got a broken jaw and can't.

Superglue.

🇺🇦 Johnydon

@globalmuseum
The friends we made along the way.

HappyCrow13 2d ago

@globalmuseum Do you ever wonder if animals tell each other to go find a human if they need help? Some other turtle was like "dude go ask the human over there it untangled my flipper last week"
I had a squirrel yell directly at me yesterday until I got up from my sunning chair and run off a feral cat. Who told him I'd do that? The birds that trained me to check the yard every time they give a warning squawk when I'm outside?
@hankgreen I need an answer to this if you ever find one.

Randall Lee 2d ago

@HappyCrow13 @globalmuseum @hankgreen Are you the Beast Master? That could explain everything

HappyCrow13 2d ago

@BLTpizza @globalmuseum @hankgreen I have been accused of being a witch here and there

millennial fulcrum 2d ago

@HappyCrow13 @globalmuseum @[email protected]

I'm no Hank Green but the first thing I'd recommend facing is that humans are worse at understanding behaviour than we are capable of realising. humans genuinely think we are somehow magical brain angels and that other species, even mammals for fucks sake, are mindless meat automatons with simple programming. it's as ridiculous as it is offensive. and as offensive as it is destructive.

species have lived together for aeons. humans are simply shit at it.

HappyCrow13 2d ago

@falcennial @globalmuseum Oh I don't think we're special. We're just fancier apes with flexible thumbs and a penchant for throwing stuff.
There's just something hilarious about it all. Is it like recommending a plumber? Does Jake the possom go "yeah she's cool kept me full on seeds and sometimes banana peels" to his buddies round the sleeping tree?? Does his friend remind everyone to stay away from the humans who got a new dog??

I may have too much time on my mind

George Saich 2d ago

@globalmuseum That is crazy cool.

🥑 Yours Truly! Unruly 🇨🇦🇪🇺🇺🇦🌻2d ago

This is the species being of Homo sapiens corrupted by religion, then capitalism.

millennial fulcrum 2d ago

@unruly @globalmuseum we got more defects than just those. we got barnacles of the brain. but sometimes we do something useful.

🥑 Yours Truly! Unruly 🇨🇦🇪🇺🇺🇦🌻2d ago

@falcennial @globalmuseum

Seems like sometimes some one does something good but together as a species we are definitely barnacle brains.

Willow 🏳️‍⚧️🏴🇵🇸2d ago

@globalmuseum this is the shit what we are supposed to be doing on this planet.