Authorities in Hawaii are investigating a disturbing incident after a man was seen on video throwing a rock toward an endangered Hawaiian monk seal swimming off the coast of Lahaina, Maui. The video, which has spread widely on social media, shows the object narrowly missing the animal and causing alarm among nearby onlookers.
Officials have confirmed that the case is now being reviewed under both state and federal wildlife protection laws.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a statement released on May 6 that the incident involved a man throwing an object toward a Hawaiian monk seal while it was swimming close to the shoreline.
The department said that officers from the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement on Maui were informed about the incident on May 5. A conservation officer later spoke with a 37-year-old man from Seattle who matched the description of the suspect mentioned in the report.
Authorities said the man was briefly detained but did not give a statement and chose to exercise his right to an attorney. No charges were filed at the time, and he was later released. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said the case is being forwarded to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement for further investigation under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, reported NYPost.
During a May 6 media briefing, Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Chief Jason Redulla said the investigation report is being completed and will be handed over to federal authorities for possible enforcement action.
A spokesperson for NOAA Fisheries confirmed on May 7 that the Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident involving a person who appeared to throw a large rock toward a swimming Hawaiian monk seal on May 5 in Lahaina.
A man apparently threw a rock at a critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal
The reason this is being investigated? Someone recorded the evidence. pic.twitter.com/PKmCqXosNe— PETA (@peta) May 8, 2026
The spokesperson said Hawaiian monk seals are protected under multiple state and federal laws. They added that any actions involving harassment, harm, or attempts to disturb the animals can lead to penalties and fines, reported USA Today.
The Hawaiian monk seal is considered one of the endangered seal species in the world, according to NOAA.
Although the population has shown slow growth in recent years, the species remains endangered and is protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Hawaii state law.
Hawaiian monk seals are found across the Hawaiian archipelago. Most live in the Papahanaumokakea region, while a smaller number can be found in the main Hawaiian Islands.
