Curious sea turtle swims up to camera

Sea turtles are magnificent animals that capture the hearts of scuba divers and nature lovers. They are gentle, peaceful, and graceful. Usually reclusive and shy, seeing one from a distance is usually all that one could hope for. Occasionally, they will allow a respectful scuba diver to approach for a close look, but the encounters don't usually last long.

This curious sea turtle had no problem with these scuba divers swimming along beside him. And when he noticed that one of them had a strange and shiny object in his hands, the turtle went over for a closer look. Then he decided to have a little nibble at the fascinating object. This created a once in a lifetime opportunity for some footage of the inside of the turtle's mouth. After a little chew on the camera, the turtle calmly went off on its way.

This footage was captured off Wolf Island in the Galapagos. This area is one of the most unique and diverse areas on the planet. Life here changed approximately 4 million years ago when lava erupted from underwater volcanoes, creating pillars of rocks that jut up from the ocean floor. Some of these pillars created islands and life began to find its way here.

Three strong ocean currents converge around these islands, bringing a vast supply of nutrients up from the depths. Fish congregate and attract larger animals. Whale sharks follow the currents here to bear their young. Large schools of hammerhead sharks drift on the currents.

These islands are one of the most thrilling places to scuba dive in the world.