Tourist arrested, accused of throwing rock at endangered Hawaiian monk seal - BERITAJA

A man has been arrested and criminally charged aft national authorities said he was caught connected video throwing a stone astatine an endangered monk seal successful Hawaii.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii announced that Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Wash., was charged by criminal title connected Tuesday pinch “harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a ample stone astatine the seal’s head, successful usurpation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.”

Lytvynchuk was arrested connected Wednesday adjacent Seattle by typical agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Lytvynchuk is presently successful custody and is scheduled for an first quality connected these charges successful the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington (Seattle courthouse) connected May 14, 2026,” the news merchandise added.

According to the criminal complaint, Lytvynchuk was “observed and filmed connected May 5, 2026 stepping on the shoreline successful the Lahaina area of Maui search the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal, known arsenic ‘Lani,’ arsenic she playfully pushed a floating log adjacent to the shoreline.”

Lytvynchuk past picked up a ample rock, “took aim, and threw the stone straight astatine Lani’s head,” according to the news release.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii said the stone narrowly missed Lani’s nose, startling her and causing her to rear up retired of the water.

“Witnesses instantly confronted Lytvynchuk and told him they had contacted rule enforcement, to which Lytvynchuk reportedly responded that he was ‘rich capable to salary the fines,’ earlier stepping away,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii added.

According to witnesses, Lani remained mostly immobile for an extended play of clip aft the incident, which caused interest complete her welfare.

If convicted, Lytvynchuk faces up to 1 twelvemonth successful situation for each charge, positive a word of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii. He besides faces a good of up to US$50,000 nether the Endangered Species Act and a good of up to $20,000 nether the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

“The unsocial and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s typical spot successful the world and its unthinkable biodiversity. We are committed to protecting our susceptible chaotic species, successful peculiar endangered Hawaiian monk seals, for illustration Lani,” U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said. “We promise that those who harass and effort to harm our protected wildlife will look accelerated accountability successful national court.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service – Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case.

On May 6, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) said it was investigating social media posts that appeared to show Lytvynchuk throwing an entity toward a monk seal.

“When the serviceman arrived astatine the scene, the serviceman contacted a 37-year-old big antheral from Seattle, Washington, who matched the explanation of the suspect. The antheral was detained, identified and advised of his ineligible rights. The antheral declined to make a connection and invoked his ineligible authorities by requesting counsel of an attorney,” the DLNR said successful a news release.

The DLNR said location had been respective reports of members of the nationalist breaching a impermanent obstruction astatine Kaimana Beach that marks the resting area for Kaiwi, a 15-year-old female monk seal, and her pup.

Kaiwi gave commencement connected the formation connected May 3 and the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement’s (DOCARE) Maui Branch said this is simply a “very important clip successful the life of this pup.”

“For these group to beryllium breaching the area and getting adjacent is not a bully thought astatine all,” DOCARE main Jason Redulla said.

“If the mother seal perceives immoderate quality aliases pet to beryllium a threat, she whitethorn attack. This is what happened during a 2022 brushwood betwixt a swimmer and mother seal astatine Kaimana Beach. The swimmer suffered lacerations to her face, backmost and arm.”

Redulla said that successful bid to support group and pets safe and to protect endangered marine life, constabulary inquire the public’s thief “by showing respect for these animals and pursuing each guidelines for safe viewing.”

Hawaiian monk seals are protected nether the national Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, arsenic good arsenic Hawaiian authorities law. It is 1 of the about endangered seal type successful the world, pinch an estimated organization of about 1,600, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It is forbidden to disturb, harass, provender aliases different harm a monk seal. Violations whitethorn consequence successful fines aliases criminal penalties.

Police propose that the nationalist support dogs connected a leash and distant from seals, usage an replacement formation during the nursing play and enactment astatine slightest 45 metres distant from mothers pinch pups. They besides propose staying astatine slightest 13 metres distant from each monk seals, remaining down immoderate posted signs, cones aliases barriers and avoiding swimming adjacent a mother and pup.