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Oh, shell no!
A Ukrainian couple is being raked over the coals online after they filmed themselves riding a nesting sea turtle down a beach.
Vadym Oleynik, 32, a fitness influencer and self-proclaimed calisthenics champion, and his partner Olena Kravchenko, a cosmetic doctor, had been sightseeing in Ras al Hadd, a coastal paradise off Oman where several species of sea turtles come ashore to nest.
Despite being accompanied by environmental volunteers monitoring the site, the bozos decided it was a perfect opportunity to mess with the majestic marine reptiles, Jam Press reported.
Viral photos, which were uploaded for Oleynik’s 200,000 Instagram followers, showed the couple taking turns sitting on one of the hapless critters while it was depositing a clutch of eggs.
In one clip, the fit-wit is seen holding one of the newly hatched turtles while trying to balance aboard his unwitting steed.
Viewers were aghast over the disgusting spectacle.
“What sick scum of the earth!” commented one horrified X user, while another exclaimed, “They ABUSED a sweet, innocent animal for laughs … They should be punished!”
Meanwhile, Italian conservation project Biologicamente, which was among the first to bring the incident to light, blamed the environmental organization for allowing this egregious act to happen.
“An association run in a serious and professional manner, accompanied by a scientific committee, would never allow its volunteers to sit on the shell of a turtle, to take a selfie,” they fumed on Facebook. “I can’t accept such an abhorrent level of ignorance.”
Meanwhile, Oman’s Environmental Authority claimed that the pair’s actions violated wildlife protection laws and said it had taken the “necessary legal action” against the individuals involved, local media reported.
They claimed that this type of behavior could threaten the turtles and their habitat.
Some reports stated that Oleynik and Kravchenko had been detained, but these remain unverified while the fit-fluencer continued to upload pics of his vacation following the incident.
Oleynik, who also describes himself as Master of Sport in the Russian martial art of combat sambo, has since apologized for his behavior.
The content creator claimed he was misled by the org and didn’t intend to harm the turtle.
“I didn’t see the rules. I made a mistake and apologise to everyone,” he said.
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