Why was a Florida woman arrested for riding a sea turtle?
After photos of Stephanie Moore, 20,聽riding a sea turtle went viral,聽Melbourne police her Saturday with molestation of a marine turtle.聽
Ms. Moore has been wanted on a felony warrant since July for violating the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission rule prohibiting the 鈥減ossession, disturbance, mutilation, destruction, selling, transference, molestation and harassment of marine turtles, nests or eggs.鈥� According to Fox News, after Moore and a friend posted the photos to Facebook, several complaints were filed to the Commission who
When local police responded to a disturbance Saturday night, they identified Moore as a wanted felon. Melbourne law enforcement then arrested Moore and booked her in Brevard County Jail where she is being held on a $2,000 bond.
鈥�,鈥� Christine Crowe, a fellow Melbourne resident, told聽News 13.
Some experts insist that Moore鈥檚 Snapchat photos warrant the outrage.
鈥淚t is important that sea turtles ,鈥� explains the Sea Turtle Conservation on their website, the world鈥檚 oldest sea turtle research group based in Florida. 鈥淎 sea turtle is least likely to abandon nesting when she is laying her eggs, but some turtles will abort the process if they are harassed or feel they are in danger.鈥澛犅�
A successful reproductive process is important for these turtles, as they under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 and Florida鈥檚 Marine Turtle Protection Act.
Because sea turtles are aquatic, they when they come ashore to lay their eggs, Bay News 9 reported in July. Sitting on a turtle as Moore did not only limits its mobility, but can also cause damage to its ribs or sternum.聽聽
Melbourne is part of Florida鈥檚 east-central coast, where 90 percent of the sea turtle population calls home. This specific of beach 鈥渋s home to the most important sea turtle nesting habitat in the United States,鈥� adds the Sea Turtle Conservation.聽
Although many Floridians might agree that riding sea turtles hurts these endangered species, they often unknowingly participate in a number of less obvious, but more common, human interferences.
Beachfront lighting often deters sea turtles from coming ashore to nest, so the US Fish and Wildlife鈥檚 Florida Ecological Services Office recommends , redirecting beachfront lighting and using natural vision on the beach instead of flashlights.
Experts also recommend removing recreational equipment such as chairs or umbrellas at night, properly discarding all trash and avoiding campfires on the beach. All of these obstacles can disorient a hatchlings鈥� long journey from the nest in the sand to the water.
David Hochberg, chairman of the nearby Sea Turtle Preservation Society, says law enforcement is key, and Moore鈥檚 case should stand as an example. 鈥淚f something is not done, that sends out the wrong message that, 鈥楨ven though these laws are in place, nothing is going to happen to me if I break them. So, what鈥檚 to stop me from doing it?鈥� Mr. Hochberg told News 13.聽
