3 days ago
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A tourer who drew wide condemnation successful Hawaii aft a witnesser recorded him chucking a coconut-sized stone astatine "Lani," a beloved, endangered Hawaiian monk seal disconnected a Maui beach, was arrested Wednesday by national agents.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, is charged with harassing a protected animal, the U.S. attorney's bureau successful Honolulu said, adding that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration peculiar agents arrested him adjacent Seattle. He was scheduled to look successful U.S. District Court successful Seattle connected Thursday.
The tribunal docket didn't database an attorney, and a idiosyncratic who answered the telephone astatine a fig associated with Lytvynchuk declined to comment.
A authorities Department of Land and Natural Resources serviceman past week investigated a study of Hawaiian monk seal harassment successful Lahaina, the assemblage that was mostly destroyed by a deadly wildfire successful 2023. A witnesser showed the serviceman video of the seal swimming successful shallow h2o portion a antheral watched from shore.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing a protected animal, the U.S. attorney's bureau successful Honolulu said.
Department of Justice
"In the cellphone video, the antheral tin beryllium seen holding a ample stone with 1 hand, aiming, and throwing it straight astatine the monk seal," prosecutors said a transgression complaint. The stone narrowly missed the seal's head, but caused the "animal to abruptly change its behavior," the ailment said.
When a witnesser confronted the man, helium said "he did not attraction and was 'rich' capable to wage immoderate fines," the ailment said.
Maui nonmigratory Kaylee Schnitzer, 18, told HawaiiNewsNow she witnessed the incidental portion taking photos nearby.
"What helium was picking up was similar a stone the size of a coconut," Schnitzer said. "It wasn't nary tiny rock. It was the size of a coconut. And helium threw it right, straight aiming towards the monk seal's head."
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the charges nonstop a wide connection that cruelty toward protected wildlife won't beryllium tolerated. Lani's instrumentality aft the wildfires brought a consciousness of healing and anticipation during a hard time, helium said.
"Lani is simply a reminder that humanity and the instinct to support what is susceptible are inactive values radical tin unite around," Bissen said successful an emailed statement.
The politician said helium called the U.S. lawyer successful Honolulu to advocator for prosecution.
Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
Hawaiian monk seals are a critically endangered species. Only 1,600 stay successful the wild.
"The unsocial and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii's peculiar spot successful the satellite and its unthinkable biodiversity," U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said successful a statement. "We are committed to protecting our susceptible chaotic species, successful particular, endangered Hawaiian monk seals."
If convicted, Lytvynchuk, faces up to 1 twelvemonth successful situation for each charge. He besides faces a good of up to $50,000 nether the Endangered Species Act and a good of up to $20,000 nether the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
In 2016, a man was seen connected video appearing to bushed a large Hawaiian monk seal successful shallow water.
In:
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