Hawaii tourist is seen throwing rock at endangered animal

A tourist was caught on camera throwing a rock at a critically endangered monk seal in Hawaii.

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On Tuesday, resident Kaylee Schnitzer and another person apparently witnessed the man throwing the rock near the seal, which was swimming in the waters off Lahaina on Maui. She later posted a video of the event to her social media. 

“What he was picking up was like a rock the size of a coconut,” Schnitzer told Hawaii News Now. “It wasn’t no small rock. It was the size of a coconut. And he threw it right, directly aiming towards the monk seal’s head.”

Schnitzer said she immediately called the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Maui Police Department dispatch first responded to the scene and got a description of the suspect, according to officials. The officer detained a 37-year-old man from Seattle who matched the description. Authorities have not criminally charged the man, but the case has been turned over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement.

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A video showing a man throwing a rock toward a Hawaiian monk seal off Maui is drawing outrage online and renewed calls for people to keep their distance from the endangered animals. The incident happened Tuesday morning along Front Street in Lahaina, where witnesses said a couple repeatedly approached a monk seal resting near the shoreline despite being told to back away. Head to Hawaiinewsnow.com, or use the link in our bio for the full story.

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Monk seals are a protected species under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, the federal Endangered Species Act and Hawaii state law. NOAA spokesperson Rachel Hager told SFGATE in an email that the agency is investigating and that “attempts to harass, hunt, shoot, capture, trap, kill, collect, wound, harm, or pursue” the animals are punishable by law. Fines can reach up to $8,500.

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“From past monk-seal-related incidents, we know that some of the NOAA fines have been substantial, totaling several thousand dollars,” Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Chief Jason Redulla said in a statement.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources asks beachgoers to respect the monk seals by avoiding beaches where seals are nursing, staying at least 50 feet away from any monk seal and 150 feet away from mothers with pups, and keeping dogs on a leash. The department also asks visitors to abide by posted signs, cones and barriers. Hager asked bystanders to report any incidents to the agency at 800-853-1964.