Staff at a golf course have been slammed after painting this tortoise bright blue with acrylic paint claiming they want to make sure it is not run over by a lawnmower.

The images were recently recorded in the district of Belek, in the Turkish resort city of Antalya.

According to the local news website Yeni Safak, an unidentified person had painted the shell and four legs of a tortoise blue with oil paint to make sure it could be easily seen.

It was claimed by local media that the person had done so was an employee at one of the local golf courses in the area, but it was not specified which one.

But the images outraged social media users who asked those responsible to be punished.

Tortoises absorb sunlight via their shells which means they lose out on vital vitamins if their shells are painted. And also they can absorb chemicals from the paint which can prove poisonous.

If the paint covering is particularly thick, as it appears to be here, it can also interfere with the natural growth of the shell hindering the tortoises’ development.

They pointed out that tortoises had camouflaged for a reason, and this one now had no chance of being camouflaged as it could be seen from hundreds of metres away.

A Twitter user named ”Arkeoloji Dunyasi” commented, “They painted the animal all over. This is not something done, so the animal is noticed. Another measure could have been taken. This is sheer primitiveness and selfishness.”

Another Twitter user named ”Ofke Doluyum” commented, “I don’t think they ever thought about the tortoise’s life. I’m sure they did it so that the lawnmowers would not break down.”

The local media reported that the authorities started an investigation after the incident, however, the identities of those responsible are still unknown.