Chinese woman arrested for stomping on endangered sea turtle nest in Miami
- Lu Yaqun, 41, also seen jabbing at nest with wooden stake originally used to close off protected area on beach
- Turtle eggs do not appear to be damaged, police spokesman says
A Chinese woman living in the United States was arrested by Miami Beach police on Saturday morning and charged with harassing marine turtles and their eggs.
Lu Yaqun, 41, was seen by officers and bystanders with a wooden stake in her hand “jabbing at the sea turtle nest and stomping all over the nest with her bare feet”, police said.
The nest was in a closed-off, protected area of the beach, ringed by a double perimeter of eight wooden stakes, a yellow tape and a “Do Not Disturb” sign.
“Thankfully, it appears the eggs were not damaged,” police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, sea turtles are federally protected by the US Endangered Species Act of 1973 and Florida statutes that makes it illegal to harm or harass them, their nests or hatchlings.