Lani wasn’t moving fast enough for one tourist. Or maybe the rocks were just lying there.
The visitor picked one up. He threw it. The Hawaiian monk seal took the hit.
This isn’t a hypothetical. Kaylee Schnitzer was filming. She yelled. Asked the guy why. Told him police were coming. The response? A shrug. The vibe? I’m rich.
Then things got messy.
A local guy from the scene couldn’t wait for the cops. He walked up to the Seattle tourist. Started hitting him. The visitor curled into a ball near some bushes, covering his head. Another video went up on Instagram. Millions saw it. Everyone hated the rock thrower. Some people actually cheered the brawler.
Brenton Awa is a state senator. He put the videos on the Senate floor on May 10. He didn’t apologize for the punches.
“Here’s what might happen if youmess with our land or our animals.”
He called the local fighter an “Ambassador of Aloha.” Joked that airlines should loop the footage before landing. Let the tourists know what happens. Respect the island or get beat up. Simple logic.
Federal Rules, State Attitudes
The Seattle man is not named yet. Technically. He asked for a lawyer. Was detained. Released. Online chatter points to Igor Lytvynchuk, a Washington resident.
Charges haven’t filed. But the feds are involved.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources kicked it over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is federal territory now. The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects Lani. So does the Endangered Species Act.
State law says one year in jail. Federal law says fines up to $50,01. Or prison time. If they can prove he knew the seal was protected. They can prove that. Cameras don’t lie.
Maui mayor Richard Bissen isn’t joking around either.
“I assure you that I willsee to it personally that thisindividual is prosecuted to thefullest extent of the law.”
He protects the people. And the wildlife. Same thing to him.
Why You Don’t Rock Monkeys (Wait. Seals)
People think monk seals are everywhere. They aren’t.
Only about 1,60 left. The Hawaiian monk seal (ilio-holo-i-ka-uauaa ) nearly went extinct. Commercial hunters in the 1800s killed them for skin and fat. Now it’s fishing nets. Rising seas. Sharks. Warming oceans.
Every single seal counts. If you kill one. You kill one in a thousand of the population. That hurts.
Under federal law harassment is a felony. Harming is a felony. Disturbing them? Still bad. The maximum sentence feels light to many. Activists want it higher. One year doesn’t fix the problem.
Lani is fine. She’s alive. A GPS tracker watches her now. She acts normal again.
The tourist? He’s waiting on the other side of a courtroom door.
Is it worth it? Throwing a rock to make a point. You lose. They win. Lani lives.
