A man in Hawaii was arrested after throwing a rock at a Hawaiian Monk Seal, a protected species, and the incident quickly spread online.
Usually, seeing an endangered animal means a trip to the zoo, right? But when I’m in Hawaii, it’s totally different – I can actually get pretty close to Hawaiian Monk Seals! It’s an amazing experience.
On May 6th, a man was caught on video throwing a rock at a monk seal named Lani while it was swimming in Lahaina, Hawaii. After the incident, videos showed him arguing with both tourists and angry residents, and he reportedly told someone who called the police that he didn’t care.
According to Kaylee Schnitzer, who filmed the incident and shared it with KHON2, the man reportedly said, “I don’t care. Fine me, I’m rich.”
Man detained over monk seal harassment
Authorities haven’t filed any criminal charges against the man, who is 37 years old and from Seattle, Washington.
According to the Maui Branch of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, he was held by officials following the incident.
The man chose not to speak to investigators and asked for a lawyer, as is his right. The state Department of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) will now hand the case involving the harassment of the monk seal over to federal law enforcement officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for further investigation.
Hawaiian officials respond to viral video
With only around 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals remaining, they are the most endangered seal species in the United States.
The event also caught the attention of Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and Hawaii Senator Brenton Awa.
The senator stated they don’t support violence towards the individual, but acknowledged the local community’s desire to protect their land and wildlife, and to make it clear there will be consequences for harming them.
Mayor Bissen stated clearly in an Instagram video that this type of visitor is not welcome on Maui.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Brenton Awa (@brentonawa)
The 37-year-old man’s name hasn’t been released, and he doesn’t plan to reveal it unless he’s formally accused of a crime. If charges are filed, he could be fined up to $50,000 and potentially face jail time for breaking the law that protects endangered monk seals, known as the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
This is a unique story, unlike one from England where a ten-year-old girl saved a rare Mexican axolotl and decided to keep it as a pet.
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2026-05-11 13:19