A man is under federal investigation after he allegedly threw a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal on a popular beach in Maui, then bragged to witnesses, 'I'm rich!'
Incident at Lahaina Beach
Kaylee Schnitzer was at the beach in Lahaina, Maui, when she observed a man and a woman approaching the protected animal. According to Schnitzer, the man picked up a 'coconut-sized' rock and hurled it at the seal. Video footage captured the moment the rock landed just inches from the visibly startled creature. After the incident, the seal lay down and remained motionless for some time. It is still unclear whether the animal sustained any injuries.
Witness Confronts Suspect
Schnitzer, who was filming, can be heard in the background yelling, 'What are you doing? Why would you throw a rock at it?' She told KHON 2 that she and a friend later contacted the police. In response, the man allegedly said, 'I don't care. Fine me, I'm rich.'
Police Response and Investigation
Police arrived at the scene and detained the suspect, identified as a 37-year-old man from Seattle, Washington. He has not been criminally charged but is now facing a federal investigation by the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.
Seal Lani Well-Known to Locals
The seal, named Lani by local residents, is known to frequent the shallow waters off Lahaina's coast. Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered, with only an estimated 1,600 mature individuals remaining in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They have been listed as an endangered species since 1976 and are protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Hawaii state law.
Monk Seals and Human Interactions
While monk seals can be territorial when threatened, they are generally not aggressive toward humans. In 2022, a different monk seal named Rocky dragged a woman underwater after she approached too close to its newborn pup in Waikiki. The woman sustained cuts to her face, back, and arm and was hospitalized.
Authorities remind the public to keep a safe distance from all marine wildlife and to report any suspicious or harmful behavior toward protected species.
