A disturbing video circulating online is sparking outrage after it appeared to show a tourist in Maui tossing a sizable rock toward an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, according to Fox 13 Seattle.
The clip, posted by X user Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploffkins), has drawn widespread attention online because the seal appeared to be calmly swimming near shore when the object splashed down close to its head.
Tourist throws a rock at Hawaiian monk seal, a protected species that carries hefty fines if you interact with one. pic.twitter.com/mL61hVODzG
— Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) May 6, 2026
Hawaiʻi officials said the man under investigation is a 37-year-old from Seattle. According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Maui police contacted state conservation officers before a suspect fitting the description was later detained.
He has not been publicly identified or criminally charged, but, as Fox 13 Seattle reported, federal investigators are now reviewing the case through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
It is still not known whether the seal was hurt.
The moment has struck such a nerve because Hawaiian monk seals are endangered, and every interaction with humans can have consequences. NOAA estimates that only about 1,600 seals make up the entire population.
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Harassing or injuring protected marine mammals can undermine years of recovery work for a species that already faces major threats. It is also the kind of behavior that fuels anger in communities working hard to preserve fragile local ecosystems.
Officials warned that the problem is not limited to this one incident. On Oʻahu, authorities said that people have repeatedly gone past a temporary fence at Kaimana Beach to approach a mother monk seal and her newborn pup, according to Fox 13 Seattle.
For beachgoers, the guidance is straightforward: Give wildlife space, keep pets away, and never try to provoke or interact with these animals for a closer look or a viral moment.
The online reaction was swift and furious.
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In a reposted clip, one X user captioned the post, "We need to increase the penalty for animal cruelty and wildlife crimes in general, people are [getting] too comfortable treating animals inhumanely."
Another added on about the lack of adequate penalties for instances like this, saying, "The fine structure for wildlife crimes in the U.S. is embarrassingly outdated. Most penalties were written decades ago and haven't kept pace with inflation, let alone deterrence. A fine that felt serious in 1990 is a rounding error now for most people."
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