Sea Turtle’s Mouth
This is what it looks like inside a sea turtle’s mouth. The papillae (spiny projections) trap food and keep it from coming out. They line the turtle’s mouth, esophagus and all the way to the stomach. They are made out of the same protein found in human hair and nails. The papillae basically acts as a reverse filter. Unfortunately, the papillae often causes ingested plastic to get stuck. One more good reason to keep our oceans clean.
Up next: Jarring nature photos continues…