Oh, shell no!
A Ukrainian couple are facing criticism online after filming themselves riding a nesting sea turtle on a beach.
Vadym Oleynik, 32, a fitness influencer and self-proclaimed calisthenics champion, and his partner Olena Kravchenko, a cosmetic doctor, were visiting Ras al Hadd, a coastal paradise off the coast of Oman where several species of sea turtles come to nest.
Although they were accompanied by environmental volunteers monitoring the site, the bozos decided it was the perfect opportunity to have some fun with the majestic marine reptiles, Jam Press reported.
Viral photos, which were posted online for Oleynik’s 200,000 Instagram followers, showed the pair taking turns sitting on one of the unfortunate creatures while it laid a clutch of eggs.
In one clip, the quick wit is seen holding one of the newly hatched turtles while trying to balance without its knowledge.
Viewers were appalled by the disgusting spectacle.
“What sick scum of the earth!” commented a horrified user
Meanwhile, Italian conservation project Biologicamente, which was among the first to highlight the incident, accused the environmental organization of allowing the egregious act to happen.
“An association managed in a serious and professional manner, accompanied by a scientific committee, would never allow its volunteers to sit on the shell of a turtle, to take a selfie,” they fume on Facebook. “I cannot accept such an abhorrent level of ignorance.”
Separately, Oman’s Environmental Authority claimed the two men’s actions violated wildlife protection laws and said it had taken “necessary legal action” against the individuals involved, local media reported.
They claimed that this type of behavior could threaten the turtles and their habitat.
Some reports indicated that Oleynik and Kravchenko had been arrested, but these remain unverified while the fit-fluencer continued to upload photos from his vacation after the incident.
Oleynik, who also describes himself as a master of the sport in the Russian martial art of combat sambo, has since apologized for his behavior.
The content creator claimed he was misled by the organization and did not intend to harm the turtle.
“I didn’t see the rules. I made a mistake and I apologize to everyone,” he said.
Gn world
