The Longest Crawl

Not That Mike The Other Mike

Sea turtles dash to the ocean in slow motion

Since today is World Turtle Day, let’s marvel at one of nature’s most amazing journeys, as newly hatched sea turtles crawl into the ocean for the first time in their lives. Driven by instinct and exposed to hungry predators, the babies run a gauntlet in which even a footprint becomes a sand trap. (more Turtle Day pics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWcTqRb5Gy8&rel=0

You already voted!

15 thoughts on “The Longest Crawl”

  1. dubravkamcvmd May 23, 2019 / 12:31 pm

    Excruciating – I wanted to jump through the screen, pick up the babies, and bring them to the water.

    • AJ May 23, 2019 / 1:01 pm

      Me too! Such determination in such little beings but it would be very hard for me to resist helping them out. Guess they gotta do it on their own.

    • Duckie 🐥 May 23, 2019 / 1:05 pm

      Same here.

  2. Kar May 23, 2019 / 12:43 pm

    I often wonder if volunteers could cover the babies with sheets as they crawl down the surf. wouldn’t deter a serious seagull but would cut down on dive bombs.

    • Not That Mike The Other Mike May 23, 2019 / 12:50 pm

      Some of the other videos I watched were taken by volunteers who had come to stand guard over the babies as they crawled to safety, and maybe the mere presence of humans is enough to ward off the gulls.

  3. allein 🐾 May 23, 2019 / 1:39 pm

    Who else cheered at the end?

      • allein 🐾 May 23, 2019 / 2:39 pm

        Also, cowabunga and hang ten, little dude!

    • Kar May 23, 2019 / 8:08 pm

      We need another Rocky spinoff. Obv.

      Or they can star as the special cameos in the next Expendables.

      Or maybe he can do the next reboot for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

  5. phredsmom May 23, 2019 / 5:25 pm

    I remember watching mama sea turtle very carefully laying her eggs and covering them
    before trekking back to the sea at our rental at the Shore many years ago. The heartbreak
    of seeing so many of the mamas done in by traffic on the road paralleling the ocean as they
    returned to the sea. Unforgettable.

  6. Murray C. May 23, 2019 / 8:38 pm

    My anxiety meter is already at a breaking point, I don’t think I could watch this ’til the end – but I do cheer them, dear little creatures.

    • debg May 23, 2019 / 9:24 pm

      Amazing! I didn’t know starfish could do that.

Comments are closed.