Do NOT Touch Sea Turtles/Life.

Having witnessed so many irresponsible tourists and tour/dive/snorkel companies, this needs to be said.

When I was younger I remember seeing photographs of throngs of tourists on Malaysia’s East Coast. Crowding around a labouring turtle and pocketing her eggs as she lay them. Terrified she continued to lay her eggs and headed back to the ocean.

This, was tourist attraction in the 90s.

I learned that turtle eggs are a local delicacy and is a major cause of the decline in numbers.

”In Malaysia, where sea turtle eggs are considered a delicacy, each state makes its own laws about turtle egg collection and consumption. In Sabah, all sea turtles and their eggs are protected, but in many states, the legislation falls short, according to WWF-Malaysia. The organization is calling for a national ban on sea turtle egg sales and consumption.”_{by National Geographic, 2016}

Sea turtles are also hunted for their meat and shells. This article from a couple weeks ago shows that nothing has changed despite laws in Sabah.

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Did You Know?

Physically touching marine life is extremely traumatising for the poor creatures. Certified divers know this, albeit there are few who have absolutely no respect for these creatures and many, many snorkellers who do the same out of sheer ignorance and photo ops.

Not to mention snorkelling companies promoting services by encouraging customers to touch and interact with marine animals.

Touching sea turtles for instance, isn’t just wrong, in some countries, illegal. Equally as wrong, is sticking cameras and pointers into a creature's space.

Fun Fact:It is illegal to kill, capture, touch or harass sea turtles in Hawaii. Fines average USD25K and possibly a year in prison.

On a dive in Fujairah (Dubai) last Summer, the instructor we were with gave the usual speech before descent about respecting sealife. A couple in the group kept repeatedly harassing jaw fish, cuttlefish, three turtles sticking their GoPro in their faces. On all three dives. The rest of the group missed out on spending time with these creatures and the ignoramouses never got a decent photo. The instructor said nothing.

Unless a person is rescuing/attempting to rescue sea life, the rule is to never physically touch. Sea turtles are gentle creatures. They do not bite and have no means of defending themselves except by swimming away. They surface for air every 5-6 hours and if stressed, swim down and sometimes drown themselves out of fear (afraid to surface for air).

Chasing after a turtle stresses it out and could cause it to avoid areas necessary for feeding, reproduction or predator avoidance.

Give marine life space, and I promise you the best photos and greatest memories. These creatures also get to live in peace. Win-Win. =)