Violinist turned Pied Piper makes turtles respond to hip hop — and it's mesmerizing

Animals may not communicate the way we do, but their response to music — a universal language — is just as exciting as ours. Don't believe us? Wait till you know about Clejan, a professional trap violinist who goes by @thetrapviolinist on Instagram. In an astonishing video that has now gone viral with 1.8 million views, Clejan beckons the turtles by playing a soulful tune on the violin.

The man standing beside a lake played a smooth, tuneful melody on his violin. Before a minute could pass, nearly 10 turtles appeared out of nowhere, gliding through the water towards Clejan. At first, only two turtles were spotted clearly, but as the man continued with his musical tour, more and more joined, making it a once-in-a-lifetime sighting. The little turtles kept paddling near the man, as if they were enjoying an impromptu concert for free. "The call of the turtles," Clejan wrote, reflecting upon the beautiful moment. "If I start playing music, they will just start beelining towards me," the man shared with The Dodo, talking about how a specific type of tune is the turtles' absolute favorite. Clejan said, "Every time I play hip-hop, they vibe the most to that."

It all began when he was filming at his favorite park and noticed a turtle waddling in the water. "I was like, 'Let me just play for this turtle,'" Clejan, who happily calls himself a "turtle guy," shared. As per research by the National Library of Medicine, turtles have a higher hearing threshold than other reptiles, with their best frequencies coming in at around 500 Hz. Now, though it isn't clear if Clejan's violin performance fell in this category or not, the turtles surely had a gala time attending his concert.

Meanwhile, Clejan's heartwarming video received an outpouring of love on social media, with people appreciating the man for his unbelievable skill. For instance, a user, @kellyfitzpatrickofficial, commented, "We all love music... that’s why birds sing, frogs croak, and bees buzz. This world is created with beautiful noise, and it’s beautiful to watch you call in such creatures with your gift. Thank you for sharing this video, Clejan." @rhydian_tis_dihh said, "I have a pet turtle, and I wondered if he’d like this. I played it on full volume, and he came out of his log. He indeed does like it. But to be fair, he’s loved any type of classical instrument sound."

On the other hand, @thesquatsquatch pointed out, "You’re hitting them with vibrations and frequencies completely foreign to them but not harmful — peak animal curiosity." Another user who goes by @chefellen2 on Instagram said, "Animals of all sorts are so responsive to music. Whether it’s titles, elephants, or any other species. Play on!" Similarly, @jaymckay7, a pet owner, revealed, "My dog also immediately came from the other room to sit in my lap and stare at my screen at this music, so this is some pretty powerful bard sh*t."

You can follow Clejan (@thetrapviolinist) on Instagram for more such musical stories.