A video posted to the social media platform TikTok shows a tourist in Hawaii throwing a large rock at the head of a nearby Monk Seal. The seal is one of the surviving species that is in imminent danger of extinction.
Fortunately, the authorities were provided with the recorded evidence, resulting in the man’s detention. Commenters dove into the comments to relay their frustration, with many praising the poster for bringing the tourist to justice.
In the video posted by @connectthedotswithjeni, a man and a woman can clearly be seen walking along a beach towards a local Monk Seal named Lani. According to the text written on the video, “they continued to follow he down the beach as she swam away from them. Then this happened.”
You can then see that the man throws a rather large rock that lands near the head of the Monk Seal. After being approached and reportedly informed that he could be fined up to $50,000, he allegedly responded with, “I don’t care, I’m rich, I love Maui and I visit here every few months.”
The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) was notified of the case by the Maui Police Department Dispatch, which detained the male, who was identified as from Seattle, Washington. The Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement’s (DOCARE) was also reportedly on the scene.
DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said in a statement that, “From past monk-seal-related incidents, we know that some of the NOAA fines have been substantial, totaling several thousand dollars. To keep people and pets safe, and to protect our endangered marine life, we ask the public’s help by showing respect for these animals and following all guidelines for safe viewing.”
Reactions to Seattle Man Throwing Rock at an Endangered Monk Seal
Commenters were also incredibly angry at the man for his actions, with one person writing, “I just looked up Hawaiian monk seals and I about cried. why would anyone want to hurt them? they’re so cute. I’m glad she’s okay. people are cruel🥺.”
Others were incredibly grateful to the person who reported the man and took such incriminating evidence, with another person writing, “Thank you for calling the cops and holding them responsible!!“
The monk seal was examined to ensure that no harm was caused, and the case was officially turned over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA-OLE) for further review.
As the video continues to gain traffic on social media, it is unclear what happened to the man who almost harmed the seal after his arrest.
