US Agents Arrest Tourist After Video Allegedly Shows Rock Thrown at Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal’s Head
A tourist accused of throwing a coconut-sized rock at “Lani,” a beloved endangered Hawaiian monk seal near a Maui beach, has been arrested by federal authorities after a witness captured the incident on video.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was taken into custody Wednesday near Seattle by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) special agents, according to the US Attorney’s Office in Honolulu. He faces charges of harassing a protected marine animal and was scheduled to appear in US District Court in Seattle on Thursday.
Authorities said the incident took place in Lahaina, Maui a community still recovering from the devastating 2023 wildfires. A witness recorded video showing the monk seal swimming in shallow waters while a man stood nearby on the shore.
According to the criminal complaint, the man was seen picking up a large rock described as roughly the size of a coconut before aiming and hurling it directly at the animal. Although the rock narrowly missed the seal’s head, officials said it caused the endangered animal to abruptly change its behavior.
Witnesses later confronted the suspect, who allegedly responded that he “did not care” and was “rich” enough to pay any potential fines, the complaint stated.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen condemned the incident, saying the charges send a strong message that abuse of protected wildlife will not be tolerated. He described Lani’s return to Maui after the wildfires as a symbol of healing and hope for the local 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.
Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, one of the world’s rarest marine mammals. Officials estimate that only around 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals remain in the wild.
If convicted, he could face up to one year in prison for each charge, along with fines reaching $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and an additional $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Watch the video –
