FRASER ISLAND, AUSTRALIA — Green sea turtles are an endangered species, listed as Vulnerable in Queensland, but that didn’t stop two mates from hopping on the back of one and taking a cool pic.

26-year-old Ricky Rogers, who calls himself an animal lover, says he and his friend were driving around Fraser Island last weekend when they spotted the turtle, and pulled over because they thought it was stuck and wanted to help. Upon closer inspection, the two claim it was already dead, long dead, and had black gunk oozing out of its mouth. Rather than bury it or just leave it be, they figured it might make for a rad photo if they used it as a surfboard.

When they posted the shot, they didn’t anticipate all the backlash they received from conservationists. The pair claim that particular turtle was dead, but concerned users online argue the photograph is still a depiction of animal cruelty, and riding on the back of a dead turtle’s carcass is blatantly disrespectful.

The green sea turtle population is damaged by boat propeller accidents, as well as getting caught in fishnets by trawler fishermen. The turtles are also hunted by humans for their meat and eggs, and their nesting grounds are often destroyed by human encroachment.