A Seattle tourist is facing potential federal prosecution after he allegedly hurled a rock at a beloved Hawaiian monk seal that became a symbol of Maui’s recovery following the devastating Lahaina wildfires.
Witnesses said the 37-year-old visitor repeatedly approached the endangered seal — locally known as Lani — while she rested along the shoreline off Front Street in Lahaina on Tuesday.
Then things turned violent, per witnesses.
“He picked up a rock the size of a coconut and he threw it right, directly aiming toward the monk seal’s head,” Maui resident Kaylee Schnitze told Hawaii News Now.
The disturbing incident sparked outrage across Maui, where Lani has become something of a local celebrity 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 is not the kind of visitor we welcome on Maui,” Bissen said. “We welcome respectful visitors that understand that our cultural environment and wildlife must be treated with care and aloha. Behavior like this will not be tolerated.”
The mayor — a former judge and prosecutor — said the alleged attack struck a particularly personal chord for many in the community.
“Since Lani’s return to Lahaina following the 2023 wildfires, members of the Mayor’s team and residents alike have watched over and cared deeply for her,” Maui County said in an Instagram post.
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world and is protected under both the federal Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
State officials said the unnamed visitor was questioned by authorities and later released after requesting legal counsel.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said its enforcement division has since turned the case over to federal prosecutors with NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for possible prosecution under federal wildlife protection laws.
Officials urge anyone who witnesses wildlife harassment in Hawaii to immediately report it to authorities.
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