HONOLULU — A tourist found himself in hot water after being caught on video throwing a rock at “Lani,” a cherished and endangered Hawaiian monk seal, while visiting a Maui beach. This incident, which sparked outrage among the local community, led to his arrest on Wednesday by federal authorities.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, a 38-year-old resident of Covington, Washington, faces charges for harassing a protected species, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Honolulu. Agents from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration apprehended him near Seattle, with a court appearance scheduled in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday.
The court docket provided no record of an attorney for Lytvynchuk, and when contacted, a person answering a phone number linked to him offered no comment.
The situation came to light when an officer from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources was alerted to the harassment of a Hawaiian monk seal in Lahaina, a community that suffered greatly from a devastating wildfire in 2023. A witness presented the officer with a video showing the seal in shallow waters as a man observed from the shore.
Prosecutors noted in a criminal complaint that the cellphone footage captured the man holding a large rock, taking aim, and hurling it at the monk seal. Though the rock, likened to the size of a coconut, narrowly missed striking the seal’s head, it caused the seal to abruptly change its behavior, as reported by a witness.
When confronted by a bystander, the man reportedly dismissed the concern, claiming he was “rich” and could afford to pay any fines, according to the complaint.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the charges send a clear message that cruelty toward protected wildlife won’t be tolerated. Lani’s return after the wildfires brought a sense of healing and hope during a difficult time, he said.
“Lani is a reminder that humanity and the instinct to protect what is vulnerable are still values people can unite around,” Bissen said in an emailed statement.
The mayor said he called the U.S. attorney in Honolulu to advocate for prosecution.
Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
Hawaiian monk seals are a critically endangered species. Only 1,600 remain in the wild.
If convicted, Lytvynchuk, faces up to one year in prison for each charge. 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.
Copyright © 2026 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
