One of the major threats to sea turtles is bycatch, where they get caught in fishing gear and drowned. NOAA Fisheries worked with fishermen to develop turtle excluder devices, or TEDs, to reduce turtle bycatch. TEDs are grids of metal bars fitted to fish trawl nets. They allow small animals like shrimp to pass through and be caught in the net, but stops turtles and allows them to exit safely through an opening in the net. TED development began in the 1970s, and federal regulations required their

Can turtles feel when someone touches their shell? Watch as Aquarist Jamie Merrill gives this snapping turtle a back scratch! (Turn sound on) | Mississippi Museum of Natural Science