Puerto Rico investigates after invasive creature potentially endangers local turtles

Puerto Rico has launched an investigation into the status of an invasive organism whose behavior may have endangered some of the island’s native turtles: Jake Paul. Specifically—and per TMZ—the territory’s authorities took notice after Paul posted a video of himself and his friends apparently racing in trucks along the islands’ beaches recently, an activity that’s illegal at least in part because of environmental damage it can cause, and especially because it’s turtle-nesting season, and beach is where turtle live.

Puerto Rico’s Secretary of Natural and Environmental Resources, Rafael Machargo, issued a press statement on the video earlier this week, noting that, “Those who violate the law face fines and other penalties, if applicable.” Machargo went on to write that, “I call for us to share the beaches and other natural resources considering their conservation and preservation…We applaud that our citizens become eyes and spokespersons for the possible environmental damage that some people cause due to ignorance or unscrupulousness.”

For his part, Paul has pled “ignorance,” which does, at least, have a certain degree of historical precedence to back it up. The social media figure, entrepreneur, and semi-professional person-puncher recently relocated some of his businesses to Puerto Rico, buying a beachfront mansion with his brother Logan. When approached by TMZ about his impromptu, turtle-threatening game of Mario Kart, sources close to Paul say he’d seen other people driving on the beaches and thought it was okay, and didn’t see any evidence of turtles anywhere in sight. A self-described animal lover, he’s reportedly happy and willing to work with Puerto Rico authorities to limit the environmental damage that invasive Paul brothers might cause to the island’s resources.