On May 10, 2026, a tourist was detained in Maui, Hawaii, after being filmed throwing a large rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal on a beach. Witnesses reported that the man, whose identity has not been released, yelled 'I'm rich' when beachgoers begged him to stop the attack, according to local news reports.
The incident occurred at a beach in Maui, where the monk seal was resting. Video footage shows the man lifting a rock and hurling it at the seal, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The seal was not visibly injured, but authorities are investigating.
The man was detained by local law enforcement and is facing potential charges, including harassment of a protected species. The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world, with only about 1,500 individuals remaining in the wild.
Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are involved in the investigation. The incident has sparked outrage among conservationists and local residents, who emphasize the importance of protecting these animals.
