A video of a swimmer taking a ride on a turtle which is circulating on social media has been described as “disturbing” by one turtle expert, who said that handling them was “dangerous, abusive, and criminal”.

Jennifer Gray, the director of the Bermuda Turtle Project, said the video, which is being investigated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, showed “a blatant disrespect” for turtles.

Marine turtles are protected under law and it is an offence to “disturb or harass” the species. Offenders can be fined up to $25,000 or be jailed for two years.

A spokesman for the department added: “The video shows an individual in the water with two marine turtles, closely interacting and hanging on to one by its shell and getting pulled through the water. The department is aware of the details in this case and will take the appropriate action.”

Ms Gray added: “There are so many reasons why handling a sea turtle can be harmful to them and simple common sense should tell anyone not to do it.

“I am truly saddened to see this behaviour occurring in Bermuda. Despite the misguided idea that ‘riding’ a sea turtle is romantic or fun It is abusive and criminal.

“Sea turtles are air breathing animals and are not designed to carry weight. ‘Riding’ a sea turtle could lead to it drowning in the worst-case scenario and dislocation of sensitive bones in the flippers or muscle attachment ligaments or tendons. These creatures rely on bio-films – a kind of protective slime – to keep out infection, which we can compromise through touch.

“It is illegal to hold a sea turtle in captivity in Bermuda and certainly they should never be held unless the holder is licensed to do so, regular health checks are performed, and it is deemed to be in the best interest of the animal to hold it. This usually occurs for the rehabilitation of an injured or sick animal.”

Ms Gray said that the turtles in the video were not juveniles, and that the film could have been taken in a cave pool or grotto at Devil’s Hole.

She said: “The Devil’s Hole aquarium was Bermuda’s first tourist attraction when it was opened by Thomas Trott in 1834. Many of us remember well the sharks, fish and sea turtles which could be fished with a rope from a bridge spanning across the cave pool. We have come a long way since those days developing a sensitivity to what is right and what is wrong when it comes to holding sea turtle’s captive.

More information on Bermuda’s protected species is available here.