A Seattle visitor accused of throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal off Lahaina is now part of a federal investigation, and the video that spread across Instagram is not even the only monk seal story Hawaii is dealing with this week.
Two monk seal cases landing in the same news cycle is unusual and something Hawaii travelers should understand before they ever step near the shoreline.
The Lahaina rock throw and what came next.
DLNR’s conservation enforcement officers were notified on Tuesday after the Maui police dispatch received a report of monk seal harassment off the Lahaina shoreline. The Instagram video shows an adult male throwing an object toward a monk seal swimming near shore, narrowly missing the seal as it rears back in response.
A DOCARE officer contacted the reporting party, obtained a description, and located a 37-year-old visitor from Seattle who matched the description. DLNR said the man was detained, identified, advised of his legal rights, and declined to make a statement after requesting an attorney.
The seal involved is Lani, a Hawaiian monk seal that regularly frequents the Lahaina area. The state investigation is being turned over to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. The man has not been criminally charged, and DLNR said it will not release his identity at this time.
The Kaimana Beach monk seal situation officials want visitors to know about.
The same DLNR update also flagged Kaimana Beach on Oahu, where Kaiwi, also known as RK96, gave birth to its pup on May 3. Temporary tall orange fencing marks the resting area for the pair, and the posted warning tells beachgoers the area is unsafe to swim because nursing seals are present and protective mother seals may bite.
DLNR said there have already been several reports of people breaching that fence. DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla called this a crucial time in the pup’s life and said getting too close is dangerous for both people and seals.
In 2022, at the same beach, a swimmer suffered lacerations to her face, back, and arm after a mother monk seal perceived a threat. That prior case is one reason officials are again urging people to avoid the seals or choose another beach during the nursing period.
What the comment section shows.
The Lahaina video drew the expected fury and hundreds of comments, but the comment thread is more useful even than that. Commenters were not just condemning the man in the video. Visitors were working to separate themselves from him.
Some visitors wrote that they were not from Hawaii and were horrified by what they saw. Others said the signs were already clear where they were staying, and there was simply no excuse. Residents expressed something broader than anger at one person, with frustration directed at a familiar pattern of visitors crossing lines around animals, beaches, and protected areas on the islands.
The split is a fascinating data point, as visitors were not defending this behavior. They were disavowing it, and that may be the most telling part of the public reaction to this. This news cycle has a different edge because other visitors seemed so eager to say, “This is not us.”
What travelers need to know near monk seals.
NOAA’s monk seal viewing guidance: Stay at least 50 feet from all Hawaiian monk seals, whether resting on land or in the water. For mothers with pups, the distance is 150 feet, both on land and in the ocean.
Travelers should also stay behind posted signs, cones, and barriers, such as the Kaimana Beach fence; keep dogs leashed and away from seals; avoid swimming near mothers and pups; and use a camera zoom instead of approaching. And obviously, if there is a fence, the answer is not to step over it for a better look.
Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as Hawaii law. Under Hawaii state law, too, intentionally or knowingly taking a monk seal is a Class C felony with a possible fine of up to $50,000. Past visitor cases involving touching or harassing monk seals have resulted in lesser $500 fines after videos surfaced on social media.
Why this week’s incidents feels different.
The Lahaina case had all the elements of a social media viral story. That includes a known endangered animal, a visible act, a beach setting, a man visiting from out of state, and a video that made the public feel like it had witnessed the offense directly. DLNR is not treating this incident as a one-off.
Putting the Lahaina investigation and Kaimana fence breaches in the same update gave the week a different frame than prior incidents. This is not only about one visitor and one rock. It’s about how people behave around endangered wildlife including sea turtles when signs, fences, laws, and common sense are already in place.
The open question is whether Hawaii’s visitor population is actually policing itself more visibly. The Instagram thread suggests some travelers know exactly how bad this looks and do not want to be grouped with it. Whether that translates to better behavior on the beach is something Hawaii will find out one incident at a time.
Have you witnessed visitor behavior around Hawaii wildlife that crossed the line, or seen the new fencing and warning signs at Kaimana Beach yourself? Tell us what you saw and what you think Hawaii should do next.
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