Interactions with other species have made for some of the most heart-warming stories of friends who rely on each other, nurture each other, help each other and provide the love and comfort that exists between true friends.
Dogs are probably best known for such devotion, attracting the title of ‘man’s best friend’, although studies show that ‘woman’s best friend’ is more apt due to who really does the feeding, walking and grooming.
There are countless anecdotes of the faithful horse dragging an injured rider to safety, and even cats, the most singular of animals, have been known to come to the rescue.
There are other less obvious animal-human friendships of course, but perhaps one of the most unusual is the one between Ngawai, a green turtle, and Rebecca Clarke, aquarist assistant at Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s on the Auckland waterfront.
During her weekly (underwater) vacuum of the Turtle Bay display, Clarke noticed Ngawai would sidle over to have her back scratched and wouldn’t leave her alone until a satisfying scratch was delivered.
In the wild, turtles rub their shell - called a carapace - against rocks to help shed the plates that make up the shell, scutes (pronounced scoots), enabling the turtle to grow. Ngawai has learned Clarke offers a more satisfying alternative and stays very much within scratching distance of her whenever she’s around.
“Caring for sick and injured sea turtles daily is incredibly rewarding,” said Clarke. “However, building trust and having a friendship grow like this adds a special element to the turtle rehabilitation process.
“We are hoping that Ngawai will be returning to the wild in December once fully rehabilitated, so I am making the most of every moment we get to spend together.”
And in the spirit of true friendship and mutual reward, an old saying will never ring truer.
“You scratch my back...”
Ngawai can be seen at Turtle Bay at Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s along with a range of other marine and freshwater creatures, including sharks, rays, sub-Antarctic penguins and more.
