A Man Has Gone Viral for All the Wrong Reasons After Posing With a Sea Turtle

So many people dream of going viral these days. Generally, that means you've made it (or are on your way to making it) as a content creator. However, sometimes people accidentally go viral when they are caught behaving badly on video. Unfortunately for one man dealing with viral fame, the reason his video is circulating the internet is because of how he was caught by another beachgoer. His misdeed? Posing with an endangered turtle while visiting the shores of Hawaii.

The video, which was filmed on Nov. 14, 2025 has been making the rounds, and people have really strong feelings about what it shows. Curious about what the TikToker who captured the original footage saw? Keep reading as we detail what is happening in the clip, as well as the local laws that could see this man getting into serious trouble if Hawaiian officials ever identify him based off of the TikTok clip.

TikToker itsbleuworld posted a video of a man and a woman on a beach in Hawaii on Nov. 14, 2025. In the clip, the man could be seen picking up a sea turtle and propping it up on the turtle's tail as he smiled and posed for a photo. The blonde woman with him took a few pictures, before the man flopped the turtle back on his belly and then gave the animal's shell a few hard pats.

The post continued with a PSA about sea turtle safety in the caption, with the TikToker calling the man out.

"PSA: My pawrent took me to the beach today and we saw people touching a sea turtle, it said. "Please remember do not touch sea turtles in Hawai‘i, regardless of their condition, alive or dead," the caption read. "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."

The comments quickly filled up with people who were angry about the video.

"They should be fined or jailed, how disrespectful of wildlife," one person wrote.

"The way I would have literally got jail time if I saw this," another added.

Another person chimed in to share that what the man did was more than just "not okay," and that it could actually be a crime. "I know this violates federal law, and possibly state law."

The TikToker wasn't too off with their comment. According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, all sea turtles in the state are protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Not only that, but they also have protections under the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes Chapter 195D (HRS) and Hawai‘i Administrative Rules (HAR) 13-124.

There are five types of sea turtles in the state, and while it's not clear which kind was caught in the video, each of them are illegal to interact with.