Man Sparks Outrage After Grabbing and Posing with Sea Turtle in Viral Video

A man sparked outrage after he was caught on video picking up a sea turtle and posing with it in Hawaii. 

In a TikTok video shared on Nov. 14, a man appears to grab a Hawaiian green sea turtle, prop it up, hold onto its fins, and smile for a picture. The individual then plops the turtle back down, taps its shell a few times, and walks away.  

“Please remember DO NOT touch sea turtles in Hawaii, regardless of their condition, alive or dead,” the TikTok user wrote in the caption. “They are protected animals. You must stay at least 10 feet away from them and avoid taking close-up photos or interacting with them in any way. This is not okay.”

Indeed, the sea turtle species is protected under both Hawaii state law and the federal Endangered Species Act. Harassing the species, which is listed as “threatened,” is punishable by up to one year in jail, in addition to a fine.

“What our law provides is that a person who does that and is found guilty is guilty of a misdemeanor offense,” Jason Redulla, enforcement chief for DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, told Hawaii News Now about the clip. “That means up to one year in jail and a fine of no less than $250 on the first offense.”

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“Knock it off. Respect our wildlife as you would the wildlife where you come from,” he continued. “A lot of people come to Hawaii relaxed and not fully thinking about what they’re doing, or what consequences their actions may have.”

After marine life advocate Melina Clark saw the now-viral moment on social media, she echoed how “disgusting” the man’s actions were.

“My heart stopped … it was disturbing,” Clark told the outlet. “It just showed once again that here we are in 2025, nothing has improved.”

“These turtles have been here millions of years,” she added. “The more people who don’t show care or teach others how important they are to the islands, the more harm we’ll keep seeing. Locals care. Hawaiians care.”