Model and travel content creator Cynthia Benítez Fernández received a painful surprise while swimming with sea turtles in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
A viral video shows Cynthia standing in shallow water and interacting with several turtles.
As she bent towards one of the animals, another turtle approached her from behind and bit her on the buttocks.
Cynthia screamed, moved away and quickly climbed out of the water.
A photograph shared after the incident showed a red mark on her body. No serious injury was reported.
“I thought turtles were supposed to be harmless…” she wrote while sharing the footage.
The video attracted thousands of reactions after appearing online.
Some viewers found the encounter amusing. Others said tourists should keep a safe distance from wild animals.
Sea turtles do not usually attack people. However, they can bite when they feel threatened, mistake something for food or become uncomfortable with close contact.
The encounter has renewed discussion about responsible wildlife tourism.
Visitors should avoid touching, feeding, chasing or surrounding sea turtles. Keeping a safe distance protects both tourists and the animals.
Watch the video below:
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