A Washington man has been arrested by federal agents after a tourist was filmed hurling a rock at an endangered seal in Hawaii.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk has been charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The 38 year-old from Covington was detained by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration special agents on Wednesday near Seattle.
According to prosecutors, Lytvynchuk flung the rock at a seal known as “Lani” a week prior on May 5.
If convicted, he faces up to a year in prison for each charge, 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.
Lytvynchuk had been filmed observing Lani along the shoreline of the Lahaina area of Maui before the incident, prosecutors said.
Footage of the incident showed a large rock being hurled at the seal’s head. The projectile almost hit the seal in the nose, startling her and causing her to rear out of the water.
Witnesses said Lani remained largely immobile for an “extended period of time” after the incident, causing concern for her welfare.
When the rock thrower was confronted by witnesses who told him that they had contacted the authorities, he reportedly bragged that he was “rich enough to pay the fines,” according to prosecutors.
The incident went viral after a witness named Kaylee Schnitzer shared the clip on social media.
In the video, Schnitzer can be heard shouting: “What are you doing? Why would you throw a rock at it?”
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the charges send a clear message that cruelty toward protected wildlife won’t be tolerated. The mayor said he had called the U.S. attorney in Honolulu to advocate for prosecution.
“Lani is a reminder that humanity and the instinct to protect what is vulnerable are still values people can unite around,” he said.
Hawaiian monk seals are a critically endangered species with only 1,600 remaining in the wild after a deadly wildfire in 2023 largely destroyed the community.
Lani’s return after the fires brought a sense of healing and hope during a difficult time, Bissen said.
U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said that Hawaii’s wildlife is a symbol of the region’s “special place in the world” and warned action would be taken against those who harm it.
“We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular, endangered Hawaiian monk seals, like Lani,” he said.
“We pledge that those who harass and attempt to harm our protected wildlife will face rapid accountability in federal court.”
Lytvynchuk was scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday.
