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A HawaiiA tourist captured on video throwing a big rock at the head of an endangered seal claimed he was wealthy and didn’t worry about facing a fine, as reported by the woman who filmed him.

A shocking assault on a monk seal occurred on Tuesday on Maui Island. A bystander recorded a video of the event that has been circulating on social media, sparking widespread anger.

In the footage, the rock seems to fall near the seal’s head, and it can be observed later drifting silently in the water. Authorities have mentioned that the animal was not officially recognized, and it remains uncertain if it was injured.

Online users have recognized the person who threw the stone as Igor Lytvynchuk, a 37-year-old resident of Seattle, Washington, who runs a shipping business.

The woman who recorded the footage, Kaylee Ku’ukamaleimakamae Schnitzer, statedKHON2 that following her confrontation with the man, he said to her, ‘I don’t mind, just fine me. I’m wealthy,’ and then nonchalantly walked off.

The Daily Mail has contacted the Maui Police Department to verify the suspect’s identity.

A seal attacker was taken into custody by the Maui Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) on Tuesday following a report of monk seal harassment, as stated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Monk seals are a threatened species safeguarded by both national and local legislation, with harassment of these animals considered a criminal offense that can result in a maximum sentence of five years in prison and fines reaching $50,000, as reported by theAP. 

In 2017, a person calledShylo Akuna received a four-year prison sentenceafter he was found guilty of punching a Hawaiian monk seal with his hands.

“Based on previous incidents involving monk seals, we are aware that some NOAA penalties have been significant, amounting to several thousand dollars,” stated DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla in a statement.

Following the arrival of a DOCARE officer at the location and conversation with the individual who filed the report, the officer arrested a man who fit the description of the perpetrator, as stated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

A state agency verified that the individual is a 37-year-old resident of Seattle, Washington, but has not disclosed his name since no criminal charges have been officially filed.

He was freed soon after his arrest, as he refused to comment and exercised his right to legal representation, as stated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Since monk seals are safeguarded under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, DOCARE has handed over the inquiry into the incident to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement, which operates as a federal organization.

The Daily Mail has contacted the federal authority for further information and to obtain comments about the individual who attacked the seal and whether he will be subjected to legal action.

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