Cops in Hawaii are hunting for two men accused of attacking an endangered Hawaiian monk seal after one of them allegedly hurled a rock at it on a popular Oahu beach.
The alleged incident happened Sunday afternoon at Diamond Head Beach, where witnesses told officials they saw the pair approach the juvenile seal.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) said it has launched an investigation and is asking for the public’s help identifying the suspects.
A nearby couple confronted the men moments later and recorded the heated exchange on video. Aly Ishikuni
A nearby couple confronted the men moments later and recorded the heated exchange on video, according to Hawaii News Now.
“They walked straight up to the seal, and then one of them picked up a rock and threw it,” witness Ashley Schilling told the outlet. “That’s when we stepped in because we couldn’t just stand there and watch it happen.”
The video, which has since gone viral across social media, shows the witnesses challenging the men over their actions before the pair walked away.
DLNR officials said the monk seal did not appear to suffer serious injuries but the department condemned the incident, noting that Hawaiian monk seals are one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals.
Harassing, disturbing or harming Hawaiian monk seals is prohibited under both the federal Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Violators can face steep civil fines and possible criminal penalties.
In May, a Seattle tourist was accused of throwing a large rock at an endangered monk seal named Lani in Lahaina, Maui. Instagram/@countyofmaui
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Witnesses said the man picked up a rock “the size of a coconut” and threw it toward the seal’s head. Courtesy Kaylee Schnitzer
Officials have not released descriptions of the two men but said investigators are reviewing witness statements and video evidence as they work to identify them.
The incident comes just months after another alleged attack on a Hawaiian monk seal sparked outrage across the islands.
In May, a Seattle tourist was accused of throwing a large rock at an endangered monk seal named Lani while she rested along the shoreline in Lahaina, Maui.
Witnesses said the man picked up a rock “the size of a coconut” and threw it toward the seal’s head, prompting an investigation by state and federal authorities.
At the time, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen denounced the alleged attack, saying, “Let me be clear, this is not the kind of visitor we welcome on Maui.
“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.”
Anyone with information that could help identify the two men involved in Sunday’s incident is urged to contact the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.
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