Tourist Arrested After Viral Video Allegedly Showed Him Throwing Rock at Beloved Seal in Hawaii

A tourist who was allegedly caught on camera throwing a rock at a beloved monk seal named Lani in Hawaii was arrested on Wednesday. 

Federal agents with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration apprehended 38-year-old Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, of Covington, Washington, a week after he allegedly boasted he would get away with his actions because he is “rich,” the New York Post reported. 

Lytvynchuk is facing charges for harassing a protected animal after he  was allegedly seen  tossing a massive rock at Lani as she swam near the shoreline by Front Street in Lahaina, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Honolulu said. Lytvynchuk was arrested near Seattle. He had initially been taken in for questioning on May 5, but was released after requesting a lawyer, according to the report.

 

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Lytvynchuk was arrested after fierce backlash from the public and even a street beatdown from locals avenging the monk seal, “which has become a symbol of Maui’s recovery following the devastating Lahaina wildfires,” according to the report. 

“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 wrote in a criminal complaint. 

The large rock missed the monk seal’s head, but the threat caused her to “abruptly alter” her behavior, the complaint alleges.

According to prosecutors a witness confronted Lytvynchuk, who allegedly said he “did not care and was ‘rich’ enough to pay any fines.” 

After finding out what the tourist had done, at least one local resident beat him in the street, a video on social media shows.

State Sen. Brenton Awa (R) hailed the local as a hero and showed a letter of recognition for the anonymous avenger during a state meeting, per the report. 

“Some of us have seen environmental activists [sic], I like to call them, who took matters into his own hands to educate what might happen when you mess with our lands or the animals,” Awa said. “Our attorney over here wants to make it clear we don’t condone violence, but we did make a letter of recognition for Mr. Ambassador of Aloha.”

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in an emailed statement that the arrest shows that cruelty to wildlife will not be tolerated.

“Lani is a reminder that humanity and the instinct to protect what is vulnerable are still values people can unite around,” Bissen wrote. 

Lytvynchuk was expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday.