By Mika Miyashima
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HONOLULU (KITV) – A federal investigation is underway following a video that shows a man in Waikiki apparently grabbing and holding a sea turtle.
It shows the man holding and pulling the turtle, even though people tell him it is illegal and he should release it.
The person who took the video said it happened Wednesday night outside the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
According to NOAA, both humans and animals are at risk when they get too close to wild animals.
“Close encounters can be stressful for them,” explains Adam Kurtz, NOAA coordinator for fisheries and marine wildlife management. “You can disrupt their resting, their feeding, their rearing and their reproductive behavior. So it’s really important that we maintain a safe distance. That’s 10 feet for sea turtles, 50 feet for Hawaiian monk seals, 150 feet or 50 yards for dolphins and small whales, and 100 yards for large whales.”
The Fisheries Bureau of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NAA) is investigating the incident.
If you observe an animal being harassed, call the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement hotline at 1-800-853-1964.
You can also email photos and videos to [email protected].
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