Man Arrested For Throwing Rock At Hawaiian Monk Seal, Faces Prison And $70K Fines

A tourist who drew widespread scorn after a witness recorded him hurling a coconut-sized rock at “Lani,” a beloved, endangered Hawaiian monk seal off a Maui beach, was arrested by federal agents on Wednesday.

Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, has been charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered animal, according to AP News.

Lytvynchuk faces up to a year in prison for each charge if convicted. He also faces a fine of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and a fine of up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

This is the best news I’ve seen in days…

As I shared last week, Kaylee Schnitzer recorded Lytvynchuk throwing the rock at the seal. When she confronted him about the incident, Lytvynchuk shrugged it off saying, “I don’t care. Fine me. I’m rich.”

Witnesses say the seal went motionless for nearly an hour after the incident.

The Hawaiian monk seal was officially listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act on November 23, 1976, becoming one of the first marine mammals to receive protection under the act. Experts say only 1,600 remain in the wild.