Federal authorities have arrested a tourist accused of hurling a large rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, an incident that sparked outrage after it was captured on video, The Associated Press reported.
Officials said agents with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration took 38-year-old Igor Lytvynchuk into custody near Seattle. He is expected to appear in a local district court there on Thursday and is accused of harassing a protected animal. If convicted, Lytvynchuk could face up to one year in prison for each charge, along with fines of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The case stems from an incident off a beach in Maui, Hawaii, where a witness recorded Lytvynchuk throwing a large rock at «Lani,» a well-known monk seal. The footage shows the animal swimming in shallow water as a man stands onshore, then aims and throws the rock. The video quickly went viral, sparking public outcry in Hawaii and elsewhere in the U.S.
A witness who confronted the man said he responded that he did not care and claimed he was wealthy enough to pay any fines.
The incident was investigated by an officer from Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources after a report of wildlife harassment in Lahaina, a community still recovering from the devastating 2023 wildfire.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the charges send a strong signal that harming protected wildlife will not be tolerated. He noted that Lani’s return to the area after the wildfire had become a symbol of hope for the community.
«Lani is a reminder that humanity and the instinct to protect what is vulnerable are still values people can unite around,» Bissen said in a statement.
Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered, with only about 1,600 remaining in the wild.
