Oman takes legal action after tourist filmed sitting on nesting sea turtle
Oman's Environment Authority has taken legal action against a tourist filmed sitting on a sea turtle and handling hatchlings at Ras Al Hadd, a protected nesting site, after the video went viral on social media.
Oman’s Environment Authority has taken legal action against a tourist shown in a viral video sitting on a sea turtle and handling hatchlings at Ras Al Hadd, one of the country’s protected sea turtle nesting sites.
The authority said on Sunday that it had closely followed footage circulating online showing the disturbance of sea turtles at the site in South Al Sharqiyah governorate, describing the behaviour as a violation of Oman’s wildlife protection laws. It confirmed that the necessary legal procedures had been taken against the person concerned and stressed it would not tolerate practices that harm wildlife or threaten their natural habitats.
The video shows a man sitting on the shell of an adult sea turtle while it appears to attempt to move away, and holding small turtles in his hands, as a woman nearby laughs and records the incident.
Al Jazeera, which also reported the action, said the footage was of two tourists on a beach in Oman. Ukrainian media outlet LIGA.net identified the pair as tourists Vadym Oleynik and Olena Kravchenko, though the identities have not been officially confirmed by Oman’s authorities.
The authority urged citizens, residents and tourists visiting turtle nesting sites to follow regulations, avoid touching or approaching the turtles, and report violations, saying protecting biodiversity is a shared responsibility.
Sources
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