Seattle Man Detained After Monk Seal Rock Throw Investigation
DLNR is investigating Instagram postings that appear to show a 37-year-old man from Seattle, Washington, throwing an object toward a monk seal in the water off the Lahaina shoreline. A DOCARE officer detained the man after Maui Police Department Dispatch reported monk seal harassment yesterday.
Lahaina Shoreline Investigation
The man was identified, advised of his legal rights, and declined to make a statement before requesting counsel of an attorney. DLNR said DOCARE will turn over the state investigation to NOAA-OLE for further review and action, and the suspect has not been criminally charged.
The case falls under protections for Hawaiian monk seals under the federal Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and state law. Those rules make it illegal to disturb, harass, feed, or otherwise harm a monk seal, and violations may lead to fines or criminal penalties.
Kaimana Beach Seal Area
The Lahaina investigation comes as officials report several breaches of the temporary fence at Kaimana Beach that marks the resting area for Kaiwi and her pup. Kaiwi is a 15-year-old female monk seal that gave birth there on May 3, and the pair were on the beach on May 4.
DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said the pup is in a crucial stage and warned that getting close is not a good idea. He said a mother seal may attack if she sees a human or pet as a threat, and cited a 2022 encounter at Kaimana Beach in which a swimmer suffered lacerations to her face, back and arm.
“This is a very crucial time in the life of this pup, so for these people to be breaching the area and getting close is not a good idea at all,” Redulla said. He also said, “To keep people and pets safe, and to protect our endangered marine life, we ask the public’s help by showing respect for these animals and following all guidelines for safe viewing.”
NOAA Law Enforcement
Redulla said past monk-seal-related incidents have led to NOAA fines totaling several thousand dollars. The public is asked to report potential marine animal ESA or MMPA violations in Hawaiʻi to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement at 800-853-1964.
