This Man Makes It His Mission To Save The Local Sea Turtles From Their Suffering (Video)
Sea turtles are now classified as endangered species. Existing threats include pollution, climate change, and human activities such as fisheries bycatch, coastal development, and poaching. While human lifestyle mostly contributes to all of these threats, some of these marine reptiles are also threatened by natural predators such as large sharks, killer whales, and even pelicans. And the peril doesn’t stop there. Barnacle infestation can also put these marine reptiles at risk.
Although not considered a parasitic organism, barnacles can be life-threatening to sea turtles when they attach to them in excessive number. While most barnacles attach to the turtle's hard shell, some of them may attach to the head, flippers, or tail. And when they burrow into the skin of the turtle, they might cause discomfort and inflict open wounds that may lead to infection. So, if you happen to find a sea turtle on the shore with too many barnacles covering its body, you can save its life by removing these nuisances. One man in Sri Lanka shared a video of how he removed barnacles from a sea turtle's shell to show the proper way to do it.