A 37-year-old man was arrested in Hawaii after allegedly trying to hit a Hawaiian Monk Seal with a rock, in a situation that ended up being recorded on video and sparked strong outrage on social media.
The images were taken by a local resident, who confronted the tourist at the time of the incident. “What are you doing? Why would you throw a rock at him?”, asked the woman. As he later told the American press, when he threatened to call the police, the man replied: “I don’t want to know. Fine me. I’m rich.”
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TOURIST THROWS ROCK AT MONK SEAL IN MAUIVIRAL VIDEO TRIGGERS TOTAL OUTRAGE IN HAWAII
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A tourist was filmed in Lahaina Maui throwing a large rock at a Hawaiian monk seal swimming near the shore in the area…
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The suspect, who is said to be from Seattle, in the state of Washington, ended up being detained by authorities, although formal charges have not yet been filed. Still, you could face high fines, as the species is protected by federal and state legislation.
The seal, known as Lani, was later monitored by experts, who indicated that the animal showed signs of stress after the attack. Several bathers also remained nearby to monitor the condition of the seal after the incident.