A TikTok user has been slammed for posting a video of a man slapping a seal on the back.
Eric Mustevoy apologised for the short clip, which showed a monk seal being approached from behind and smacked, before the perpetrator runs away.
The stunt, which is being investigated, took place on a beach in West Oahu, Hawaii, where it is considered a Class C felony, punishable by imprisonment and fines.
The video went viral on Instagram after it was originally posted on Mr Mustevoy's TikTok account.
The seal looked visibly distressed after the incident took place.
Mr Mustevoy later apologised, but insisted he is not the man in the video after social media users left angry comments online.
He said: “First and foremost, I would like to make it known that it was not me in the video however, I should not have even for a split second, thought it was okay to post something so disrespectful.
“Because of this situation I have learned the importance of doing my research on one’s cultures before travelling to their beautiful place of home.
“I understand this has been a problem before with tourists and I should be acknowledging the fact instead of contributing to the problem.
“I am genuinely sorry for the hurt I have caused and the disrespect I have shown.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office recommends staying at least 50 feet away from Hawaiian monk seals in its viewing guidelines for marine wildlife.
Jason Redulla, chief of the state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement said: “We encourage people to report violations immediately.
"Far too often we learn about these cases after they’ve been posted to social media, which compounds the difficulty of gathering evidence and witness statements in real time.”
