Newlyweds 'receive death threats' after 'disrespectful' TikTok
A newlywed couple have apologised after a TikTok video of a woman touching an endangered monk seal in Hawaii went viral.
Stephen and his wife Lakyn took the footage and posted it to her social media while enjoying their honeymoon, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports.
Lakyn can be seen touching the seal before it raised its head and snapped in her direction, causing her to run away while screaming.
However, after it was published by the @hhhviral account, the video was viewed tens of thousands of times and angered locals.
Stephen told the publication he and his wife, who were married in June in Kauai, have since been subjected to death threats.
“We’re deeply sorry,” he said.
“We love Hawaii and the culture. We didn’t mean to offend anyone. We respect the culture.”
He said the couple didn’t know there were restrictions regarding the seals and hadn’t seen any signs in the area.
There are around 1,400 monk seals in the world and they are protected by the Endangered Species Act, according to NOAA Fisheries.
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Anyone caught harassing a Hawaiian monk seal faces five years in prison and up to a $50k (AUD$66,605) fine under federal laws.
Stephen said he has been contacted by NOAA authorities and paid an undisclosed fine.
“We sincerely apologise if we offended any locals. The last thing we want to do is disrespect anyone or anybody’s culture or lifestyle. That’s something we’re really, really sorry about,” he said.
Stefanie Gutierrez, spokeswoman of NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Regional Office, told the publication the incident is under investigation.
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