Disney actress China Anne McClain apologized for possibly breaking the law by accident after posting a video of her touching a turtle in Maui, Hawaii, authorities said.
McClain shared a video of herself gently stroking resting turtles in Hawaii on Instagram, according to a Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) press release. The clip quickly received thousands of likes, eventually capturing the attention of Democratic Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.
“Aloha China, I urge you to educate yourself on Hawaii’s laws and the importance of protecting our marine life before visiting our islands,” he commented on her post, according to Hawaii News Now (HNN). “Please delete this video and do better.”
McClain promptly removed the video from her social media account and issued an apology.
Actress China Anne McClain is at the center of the fallout. The Instagram video was taken in Paia on the north side of Maui, although the exact location has not been confirmed.
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McCain’s sister recorded the footage in Paia on Maui’s north side, though the exact location has not been verified by HNN. The caption of the post read in part “just found this turtle gem… Found so many other pics from this beautiful healing place that I might share. Don’t be shocked if I pack up and move to Maui one of these days.”
McClain told the DLNR that the video was taken two years ago and apologized for her actions.
“I was not fully aware of the situation until today, and I certainly wasn’t aware of the laws,” McClain told the state land department.
“It’s the people I don’t want to hurt. I understand respecting culture, and I understand the pain that comes with not having your culture respected. Those are never lines that we cross intentionally, so that part of this situation is hurting us right now. I adore these beautiful turtles, and the people of Hawaii. We’re very sorry,” she said.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 05: China Anne McClain attends Tyler Perry Studios grand opening gala at Tyler Perry Studios on October 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paul R. Giunta/Getty Images)
Her father and manager, Michael McClain, added, “All our family loves and respects Hawaii and we apologize for inadvertently causing this pain.”
HNN reported that hundreds of people reacted to the video by calling for McCain to face steep fines for her actions.
The DLNR said, “Touching turtles is not necessarily breaking the law, unless law enforcement agencies determine that the actions are a ‘take.’ For example, if a person’s actions in some way harm a turtle or alter a turtle’s behaviors, there are a variety of state and/or federal laws that a person could be charged with.”
“On its face their activity may not have been a violation of state or federal rules that protect endangered or threatened species like turtles, but it certainly ignored wildlife viewing guidelines developed by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the DLNR,” the department said.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 20: China Anne McClain attends Entertainment Weekly’s Comic-Con Bash held at FLOAT, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego on July 20, 2019 in San Diego, California sponsored by HBO. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly)
Founder of the Turtle Island Restoration Network, Todd Steiner, commented on the matter. “Just like any Hollywood actresses that probably doesn’t wanna be bothered after they eat, sea turtles are in the same boat,” he said, according to HNN. (RELATED: Children Scream In Terror As Giant Fish Bites Head Of Mermaid Performer)
“We can pass on diseases as well as disturb the animals. You really don’t want to have direct contact with these animals as much as in your heart it would feel nice, but yeah, just don’t [do] it,” he added.
It’s unclear if the the actress will face any penalties for the incident.
