Violinists know how to draw a crowd. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of walking by someone on the street while they’re playing, you know just how magical it can be. When you’re not musically inclined at all, it feels like downright sorcery!
Animals love music, too, and one violinist showed of his incredible ability to draw the most interesting crowd of all on Wednesday, May 22nd: a whole audience full of turtles! You have to see it to believe it:
@thetrapviolinistJust call me the turtle whisperer #crazytrain #violin #foryou
The violinist’s name is Clejan, and he claims in the comments that you can find him under that name on Spotify. If I play this song out loud, will the turtles come running?
Related: Bernedoodle Meets Tiny Turtle and Makes It Her Mission to Protect It
This isn’t Clejan’s first time going viral, but it is the first time he’s ever played for turtles, and it’s one of his most viral. With over a million likes and 6 million views, everyone can get behind him showing these turtles a good time. Charming animals with music is nothing new, and everyone wants to know what all their favorite instruments are. Thank goodness the turtles made it clear!
There’s another possibility here: they may just be the friendliest turtles ever. If they live in that pond and it’s close to humans, they’re probably used to humans coming around and trying to get a look at them. Maybe they even think they’ll get a snack or something!
What can turtles hear?
I’ve had a pet turtle for about 12 years at this point, and sometimes it honestly feels like he hears everything! If you come down the stairs, he’s splashing and making a scene in hopes of getting his dried shrimps. If you look at a turtle, you’ll notice that they do have “ear holes.” They have to hear something, right?
Turtles actually have pretty good hearing, and they do recognize people and sounds! That’s easier to accomplish with a pet turtle; you’re around them every day and feeding it treats. It’s going to learn who you are. The same could be said for wild turtles in popular areas: if they’re around enough humans, they’ll be comfortable enough to stay around rather than hiding away.
Interesting noises, like a violin, flute, or even a siren playing may draw turtles out of the water; they could confuse it for a food source. Turtles hear frequencies best around 500hz, which is well-within a violin’s range, depending on the notes you’re playing. There is a possibility they heard Clejan’s song in all its glory!
