A Seattle vacationer is going through potential federal prosecution after he allegedly hurled a rock at a beloved Hawaiian monk seal that grew to become an emblem of Maui’s restoration following the devastating Lahaina wildfires.
Witnesses stated the 37-year-old customer repeatedly approached the endangered seal — regionally often called Lani — whereas she rested alongside the shoreline off Entrance Avenue in Lahaina on Tuesday.
Then issues turned violent, per witnesses.
“He picked up a rock the dimensions of a coconut and he threw it proper, instantly aiming towards the monk seal’s head,” Maui resident Kaylee Schnitze instructed Hawaii Information Now.
The disturbing incident sparked outrage throughout Maui, the place Lani has change into one thing of a neighborhood superstar after returning to Lahaina in the wake of the 2023 wildfires.
In a video posted to social media, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen blasted the suspect and vowed the island would pursue justice.
“Let me be clear, this isn’t the sort of customer we welcome on Maui,” Bissen stated. “We welcome respectful guests that perceive that our cultural surroundings and wildlife should be handled with care and aloha. Habits like this won’t be tolerated.”
The mayor — a former choose and prosecutor — stated the alleged assault struck a very private chord for a lot of in the neighborhood.
“Since Lani’s return to Lahaina following the 2023 wildfires, members of the Mayor’s workforce and residents alike have watched over and cared deeply for her,” Maui County stated in an Instagram publish.
The Hawaiian monk seal is likely one of the most endangered marine mammals on the earth and is protected underneath each the federal Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Safety Act.
State officers stated the unnamed customer was questioned by authorities and later launched after requesting authorized counsel.
The Hawaii Division of Land and Pure Assets stated its enforcement division has since turned the case over to federal prosecutors with NOAA’s Workplace of Legislation Enforcement for doable prosecution underneath federal wildlife safety legal guidelines.
Officers urge anybody who witnesses wildlife harassment in Hawaii to right away report it to authorities.
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