Sea Turtle Shells Are Surprisingly Sensitive

Do sea turtle shells have any sensation?

If I had been asked that in the past, I think I would have answered, "I don't think so."

But since an experience I had in New Caledonia, that way of thinking has changed.

It happened a few years ago while I was snorkeling in the sea off New Caledonia.

As I was swimming through the crystal-clear water, a sea turtle was swimming along leisurely.

Since it was a rare opportunity, I tried swimming alongside it from a short distance away.

The sea turtle didn't seem to be trying to escape, just lazily eating seaweed and coming up to the surface.

And so, I tried getting just a little bit closer.

The shell is hard.

It even looks like a rock.

That's why I thought, "It probably doesn't have any sensation, at least not much."

The moment I gently touched the shell with my fingertip,

the sea turtle flinched!

It was an unexpected reaction.

And I, surprised by that reaction, flinched too!

It was a strange moment where a human and a sea turtle were both startled at the same time underwater.

When I looked it up later, I found that sea turtle shells have nerves running through them and they do indeed have sensation.

Of course, it's probably not the same kind of sensation as human skin.

Even so, they can feel enough to know if something suddenly touches them.

When you think about it, that's only natural.

If the shell were completely insensitive, they wouldn't notice if something hit them or if they were injured.

That flinch back then might have been a direct reaction to feeling something touch them.

Nowadays, the idea that we should refrain from touching wild animals has become widespread.

Therefore, I do not intend to recommend doing the same thing.

Even so, I cannot forget that experience.

The sea turtle was startled, and I was startled too.

It was only for a brief moment, but it was an event that taught me that a shell is not just armor.