created by Diligent_Night602 on 09/03/2025 at 17:14 UTC
691 upvotes, 19 top-level comments (showing 19)
Comment by AutoModerator at 09/03/2025 at 17:14 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
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Comment by whichwitch9 at 09/03/2025 at 18:35 UTC
647 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Turtle herpes is a real thing, btw
Don't know if it can pass to people or if contact will be enough to do it, but would rather not find out
Comment by EatMyAssTomorrow at 09/03/2025 at 20:11 UTC
118 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Went to Hawaii 22 years ago, and there were signs posted all over the place to not touch the sea turtles, and if I remember correctly there were also posted threats of punishment by law.
Absolutely nothing wrong here from the governor.
Comment by Shirogayne-at-WF at 09/03/2025 at 19:59 UTC
379 upvotes, 4 direct replies
Protip: don't touch ANY wildlife.
Like, at all.
People legit get attacked more often by deer they run up to pet than they do by predator species like bears.
Just don't.
Comment by marmeemarmee at 09/03/2025 at 17:43 UTC
1170 upvotes, 7 direct replies
The governor is right! People need to educate themselves about the places they visit, including wildlife practices. Sea turtles especially need lots of protection
When I was in San Diego I full on cried because of how people were behaving with the sea lions. It’s really not that hard to enjoy wildlife without being an asshole
Comment by Ivory_McCoy at 09/03/2025 at 18:26 UTC
177 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I liked her apology though. It was so real.
Comment by CementCemetery at 09/03/2025 at 20:46 UTC
39 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This is a valuable lesson for all of us — do not interact with wildlife. You can change their habits, stress them out or confuse them which can cause harm. Please avoid touching them and encroaching on their territory, **we have one planet to share**. At the end of the day they are a wild animal, you do not know how they will react or what they could be carrying in terms of disease.
Comment by WestAnalysis8889 at 09/03/2025 at 19:57 UTC
56 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I went to Maui and saw sea turtles just chilling on the beach. I started walking closer and one of my friends gently scolded me. I loved that I got to learn though and I've always carried that experience with me. Being corrected isn't embarrassing or a bad thing, it's just a learning opportunity. She didn't know, now she knows and other people now know. It's as simple as that, it's not a condemnation by the pope or something.
Comment by CowboyLikeMegan at 09/03/2025 at 20:46 UTC
43 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I used to live on an island in the south that was a heavy breeding ground for an endangered species and the whole area took it very seriously trying to protect them.
I was on the beach once watching the hatchlings make their way to the water when a woman who was here on vacation from Sweden came up and started leaning over the taped off area, picking up the hatchlings and chucking them around like she was skipping rocks. I explained her that they are not able to be touched and she thought it was the funniest thing, kept insisting that “her country would never have such ridiculous rules” before picking one up and sticking it in her purse.
We had it out a little before I ended up calling what was basically their patrol system, who sent someone down to speak with her. Probably my biggest “can I speak to the manager?” moment, but I don’t care. There were signs posted EVERYWHERE that it’s an endangered species that absolutely cannot be touched and there’s nothing I hate more than someone who thinks the rules don’t apply to them.
Respecting other forms of life shouldn’t be difficult, we aren’t the only ones on this planet.
Comment by heartcakex3 at 09/03/2025 at 21:28 UTC
15 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I was in Hawaii for a wedding a handful of years ago and our group went snorkelling with manta rays. The tour operators did not shy away from how quickly they would rip you out of the water if they caught you trying to touch a manta ray. They were so serious and mentioned it more than once.
Comment by MCR2004 at 09/03/2025 at 19:06 UTC
58 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I can’t stand harassing animals or nature for any reason and UGH for views , but she apologized so hopefully others learn from this
Comment by DSQ at 09/03/2025 at 17:50 UTC
75 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Though DLNR states that touching the turtles is "not necessarily breaking the law," guidelines set by DLNR, NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service strongly suggest humans to leave 10 feet between themselves and the sea creatures and avoid engaging them.
My grandmother used to swim with the turtles in Saint Vincent but, understandably, times change.
Comment by Chaoticgood790 at 09/03/2025 at 18:53 UTC
32 upvotes, 0 direct replies
And he is right. Any time I visit a place i either research best practices or go to an ethical preserve where they teach you about protecting local land. I don’t need to pet a wild animal. They are amazing to witness and that’s enough
Comment by Jemstone_Funnybone at 09/03/2025 at 20:22 UTC
21 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Maybe I’m just weird but why are people trying to pet any kind of wild living creature?
Truly would never occur to me to think “oh look an animal minding it’s own business, I should touch it�� unless it is quite clearly a domesticated animal and approaches me first?
Comment by Intelligent-Dog-579 at 09/03/2025 at 18:39 UTC
17 upvotes, 6 direct replies
I don’t know a lot about sea turtles, how is this bad? (Genuinely asking)
Comment by imaskinnylegend at 09/03/2025 at 17:51 UTC
45 upvotes, 5 direct replies
if she wasn't a disney star and wasn't well known then an employee or passerby would've simply said "hey, it's not good to touch them" and she would've went about her day knowing that information for the future. I hate how it's normal now for a governor to get online and publicly shame someone for a mistake like that and now she has to record an apology or else people will be mad.
Comment by KatanaF2190 at 10/03/2025 at 01:39 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Used to work as a commercial fisherman. Heard heaps of stories of people putting their hands in 'dead' shark mouths . Usually ends in screaming and tears...and blood...lots of blood. Was told of a story where a blind lady was touching feeling a dead shark. She was about to put her hand in the mouth to feel the teeth when one of the passing crew hands said that it wasn't a good idea. The blind ladies friend said it was alright as the shark had been dead for hours. Crew hand grabs a stick and shoves it into the sharks mouth across both rows of teeth -stick touches teeth and there's a convulsive shudder and ... snap. Stick gets crunched by the dead shark. Crew hand looks at the guy shakes his head and says-"Idiot" and walks off.
Comment by [deleted] at 09/03/2025 at 17:52 UTC
-14 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by raylan_givens6 at 09/03/2025 at 17:58 UTC
-78 upvotes, 1 direct replies
doesn't the governor have better things to do?