Man accused of hurling rock at rare seal was assaulted, lawyer says
Summary
A tourist from Washington state, Igor Lytvynchuk, is accused of throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal in Maui. He faces charges for harassing a protected animal and has reported being assaulted and threatened after the incident.Key Facts
- Igor Lytvynchuk, 38, is charged with harassing a protected Hawaiian monk seal.
- The seal targeted is an adult male known as "R404."
- A video shows Lytvynchuk throwing a coconut-sized rock near the seal’s head at a Maui beach.
- Lytvynchuk said he was trying to protect sea turtles and mistook the seal for an aggressive sea lion.
- He plans to appear in U.S. District Court in Honolulu for his case.
- After the incident, Lytvynchuk was physically assaulted and received threats, including a package with feces at his home.
- Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered, with only about 1,600 left in the wild.
- If convicted, Lytvynchuk could face up to one year in prison and fines up to $70,000 combined under U.S. laws protecting endangered species and marine mammals.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
