These days you can’t do anything, let alone ride a sea turtle, without getting arrested. In fact, this is exactly what happened to a Florida woman who has been arrested on suspicion of doing so this July, Buzzfeed reports.
The woman and her friend posted photos of themselves seated atop nesting turtles to Snapchat, but the photos quickly spread to the rest of the Internet, catching the attention of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission. Unbeknownst to the women, there is a Marine Turtle Protection Act, which makes it illegal to harm or harass marine turtles while they are nesting in the summer months.
According to the agency, there were an abnormally high number of turtles whom came out of the water to lay eggs this year, but returned to the water without nesting. “False crawls,” as they are called, usually happen when the turtles are disturbed.
Stephanie Marie Moore, 20, was arrested on Saturday after a warrant was served for her arrest in regards to disturbing the turtles.
