Barnacles are crustaceans that attach to various marine surfaces, including sea turtles. Most sea turtles, particularly loggerheads, commonly host barnacles on their shells and skin. They are a frequent sight on sea turtle patients encountered by rehabilitation centers. The presence of barnacles on turtles raises questions about their impact and whether intervention is beneficial.
The Turtle-Barnacle Relationship
Barnacles are specialized crustaceans that develop a sessile lifestyle as adults, attaching to substrates like sea turtle shells. Their mobile larval stages possess attachment devices to secure themselves to a new host. Once settled, the barnacle develops into an adult, gripping the skin, cementing to the shell, or even boring into it. Adult barnacles are filter feeders, benefiting from the constant water flow around a moving turtle, which aids in securing food and avoiding predation. This interaction is generally considered commensalism, where barnacles benefit from transport and food access, while the turtle is largely unaffected.
However, not all barnacle-turtle interactions are benign. While many barnacles, such as those from the genus Chelonibia, are often harmless, some species can be more intrusive. Burrowing barnacles can embed into the turtle’s flesh or shell, causing discomfort and potentially creating open wounds. These wounds can become entry points for infections, indicating a more parasitic relationship. An excessive number of barnacles can also signal underlying health issues in the turtle, as healthy turtles are generally better at managing their barnacle load.
How Barnacles Affect Turtles
The presence of barnacles on sea turtles can result in effects ranging from negligible to severely detrimental. Small, superficial barnacles typically do not harm the turtle. However, a heavy load of barnacles increases surface drag, requiring the turtle to expend more energy for swimming and hindering its movement and foraging abilities. This added weight and resistance can significantly slow a turtle down, making it more vulnerable to predators and less efficient at finding food.
Barnacles can also directly impede a turtle’s sensory functions and physical well-being. If barnacles grow over a turtle’s eyes or nostrils, they can obstruct vision and breathing, leading to serious problems. Some barnacles can cause damage to the turtle’s shell, creating cracks or erosions where they embed. These shell injuries can then become sites for bacterial or fungal infections, further compromising the turtle’s health. Extensive barnacle coverage can indicate a debilitated turtle that is unable to actively care for itself.
Deciding When to Intervene
Deciding whether to remove barnacles from a sea turtle requires careful consideration, as unnecessary intervention can cause more harm than good. If a turtle appears healthy and active with a normal barnacle load, it is best to leave them undisturbed. Healthy turtles possess natural behaviors, such as scraping against rocks, that help manage their barnacle populations. Removing barnacles from a healthy turtle can cause stress and potentially injure the animal, especially since barnacles adhere with a strong, glue-like substance.
Intervention becomes necessary when barnacles pose a clear threat to the turtle’s survival or well-being. Indicators for removal include barnacles obstructing sensory organs like eyes or nostrils, causing visible injury or deep embedding into the shell or skin, or contributing to significant drag that impairs swimming or foraging. A high volume of barnacles often signals the turtle is already in poor health or debilitated, making removal part of a broader rehabilitation effort. When in doubt, it is recommended not to attempt removal without expert assessment.
Proper Removal and Seeking Expert Help
When barnacle removal is deemed necessary, trained professionals must handle the process. Untrained individuals attempting to remove barnacles risk causing severe injury to the turtle, including shell damage, skin tears, or open wounds that can lead to infection. A turtle’s shell is integrated with its skeleton and contains nerves, making it sensitive to improper handling. Forceful removal can be painful and stressful for the animal, potentially exacerbating its health issues.
If you encounter a sea turtle with a heavy barnacle infestation or other signs of distress, contact local wildlife authorities, sea turtle rescue organizations, or veterinarians. These experts have the knowledge, tools, and experience to assess the turtle’s condition and perform safe removal. For instance, rehabilitation centers sometimes use freshwater baths to cause barnacles to detach naturally without harming the turtle. In some cases, professionals may gently pry off loose barnacles, but this is always done with extreme caution to avoid further injury.