Man throws rock at endangered monk seal in Maui
Federal wildlife investigators are reviewing the case under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and officials say the 37-year-old suspect has not been charged.
- On Tuesday, a 37-year-old visitor from Seattle, Washington, allegedly threw a large rock at Lani, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, while swimming off the West Maui coast.
- Witness Kaylee Schnitzer reported the man threw a rock 'the size of a coconut' directly at the seal's head, dismissing her concerns by claiming he was wealthy enough to ignore potential fines.
- Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources confirmed on Wednesday that its Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement detained the man shortly after the incident, referring the case to federal investigators.
- Maui Mayor Richard Bissen condemned the act, vowing to ensure the suspect is 'prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,' while the man declined to make a statement to authorities.
- With only an estimated 1,400 to 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals remaining, the species is protected under the Endangered Species Act, which makes harassing the animals a federal crime.
35 Articles
35 Articles
In Hawaii, the mayor of Maui promises to press charges against a tourist from Seattle after these photos.
Hawaiian hailed a hero for beating entitled tourist caught hurling rock at beloved seal ‘Lani’ in viral video
One enraged man was spotted in a video throwing punches at the tourist after the assault on the monk seal, who became a symbol of Maui’s recovery following the devastating Lahaina wildfires, Surfer Magazine reported.
Man Detained After Hurling Huge Rock At Endangered Seal, Says "I Don't Care, Fine Me, I'm Rich"
The Independent reports: A tourist who threw a huge rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal in Maui boasted that he didn’t care about the consequences because he’s “rich” — before he was detained over the attack. The man was filmed lifting a large rock from a beach and throwing it towards an endangered seal as it swam off the Lahaina shoreline last Tuesday, narrowly missing the animal’s head. Kaylee Schnitzer, who filmed the video, can be heard…
Tourist caught on camera throwing huge rock at docile Hawaiian monk seal
A disturbing video circulating online is sparking outrage after it appeared to show a tourist in Maui tossing a sizable rock toward an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, according to Fox 13 Seattle. The clip, posted by X user Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploffkins), has drawn widespread attention online because the seal appeared to be calmly swimming near shore when the object splashed down close to its head. Tourist throws a rock at Hawaiian monk seal, a…
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