The sign says that it is against the law to harm the turtles' eggs. Why does the government protect unborn turtles, but not unborn babies? The sign and the law are saying that just because a turtle resides inside an egg doesn't mean it's not a turtle- it just needs a safe place to grow before being hatched. Similarly, just because a baby resides inside his mommy doesn't mean he's not a human- he just needs a safe place to grow before being born.