Watch How a Helpful Guy Saves Local Sea Turtles From Unnecessary Suffering

Barnacles are a particularly sticky type of crustacean that love to attach themselves to hard surfaces such as rocks and ships. However, sometimes, the marine creatures also adhere to the shells of sea turtles. A single barnacle doesn’t harm a turtle and will usually go unnoticed; however, if too many barnacles attach themselves to the turtle’s shell, it can cause serious problems. Luckily though, one man in Sri Lanka known as Chika Boy is helping his local sea turtles by removing their barnacles.

In a recent video shared on YouTube, Chika Boy reveals how he helps one particular turtle who is covered in countless barnacles. Although it’s not obvious that the turtle is suffering, the little crustaceans can sometimes lead to infection, they can make eating difficult, and they can even cause the turtle to have poor vision. “The overloading of barnacles will prevent the turtle from moving and swimming properly,” explains Chika Boy. “Then the turtle will become slower than usual because of increased weight on the turtle’s shell, it will find it difficult to search for food.” He adds, “Also, if the barnacles are attached near the turtle’s eyes, its vision will get impacted. Barnacles attached near the mouth of the turtle are also harmful. The turtle will not be able to eat properly due to excessive barnacles.”

Chika Boy uses a cleaver knife to carefully prise off each barnacle. Some are easier to remove than others, but eventually, he manages to remove every single one. Chika Boy then brings the turtle back to the beach, where it’s captured happily scurrying towards the ocean. In another, similar video, Chika Boy rescues a different sea turtle tangled in a fishing net, and removes all of its barnacles, too. Thanks to the kind nature lover, these vulnerable sea creatures have someone to look out for them.

Check out how Chika Boy removes barnacles from a sea turtle below, and find more of his videos on YouTube.

This guy in Sri Lanka helps his local sea turtles by removing their barnacles.

CHIKA BOY: Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube
h/t: [digg]

All images via CHIKA BOY.

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Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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