A Washington state tourist faces federal charges after cellphone video captured him hurling a coconut-sized rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal near a Maui beach, in an attack that narrowly missed the animal's head and drew widespread condemnation from a community still healing from devastating wildfires.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was arrested Wednesday by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration special agents near Seattle and is charged with harassing a protected animal, the U.S. attorney's office in Honolulu said. He was scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday.
The Attack on Lani
A state Department of Land and Natural Resources officer investigated a report of Hawaiian monk seal harassment in Lahaina last week, the community that was largely destroyed by a deadly wildfire in 2023. A witness showed the officer video of the seal, known as Lani, swimming in shallow water while a man watched from shore.
In the cellphone video, the man can be seen holding a large rock with one hand, aiming and throwing it directly at the monk seal, prosecutors said in a criminal complaint. The rock, described by a witness as the size of a coconut, narrowly missed the seal's head but caused the animal to abruptly alter its behavior, the complaint said.
When a witness confronted the man, he said he did not care and was "rich" enough to pay any fines, the complaint said. A person who answered the phone at a number associated with Lytvynchuk declined to comment, and the court docket did not list an attorney.
A Symbol of Community Healing
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the charges send a clear message that cruelty toward protected wildlife will not be tolerated. He said Lani's return after the wildfires brought a sense of healing and hope during a difficult time.
"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.
Critically Endangered Species at Risk
Hawaiian monk seals are a critically endangered species, and only 1,600 remain in the wild. Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal. If convicted, Lytvynchuk faces up to one year in prison for each charge, along with 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.
Why This Matters:
This case highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement of wildlife protection laws as endangered species face mounting threats from human activity. With only 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals remaining in the wild, every individual animal represents a crucial part of a critically endangered population's survival. The alleged perpetrator's reported dismissal of potential consequences—claiming wealth would shield him from accountability—underscores how economic inequality can enable disregard for environmental protections meant to safeguard vulnerable species for all communities. For Lahaina residents still recovering from catastrophic wildfires, Lani's presence symbolizes resilience and collective responsibility to protect shared natural resources. The federal prosecution demonstrates that public institutions can hold individuals accountable when they harm protected wildlife, reinforcing that environmental laws exist to serve the common good, not private privilege.