A tourist accused of hurling a large rock at a beloved endangered seal in Hawaii was met with an unexpected response moments later when an enraged local rushed in and attacked him in front of stunned beachgoers.
The disturbing incident unfolded along the shoreline near Front Street in Lahaina, Maui, where witnesses said a 37-year-old visitor from Seattle repeatedly approached an endangered Hawaiian monk seal known to locals as Lani before hurling a massive a rock directly toward the animal.
The encounter quickly sparked outrage across Hawaii, where Lani has become a familiar and deeply cherished presence for many residents since returning to Lahaina following the devastating 2023 wildfires.
Tourist aimed rock toward seal’s head
According to witnesses, Lani had been resting near the shoreline on May 5 when a tourist moved dangerously close to the seal several times.
Maui resident Kaylee Schnitzer, who filmed the incident, told Hawaii News Now that “He picked up a rock the size of a coconut and he threw it right, directly aiming toward the monk seal’s head.”
While she was recording, Schnitzer can be heard yelling at the man: “What are you doing? Why would you throw a rock at it?”
“We told him that we called the cops, and he was like, ‘I don’t care. Fine me, I’m rich.’ He said that, and he kept walking,” she told Maui’s KHON2.
Endangered species
After the video was shared on social media, it spread rapidly where viewers reacted with fury over the tourist’s gross behavior.
Hawaiian monk seals are considered one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals and are protected under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
According to NOAA Fisheries, the remaining population is only about one-third the size it was roughly 60 years ago.
With so few seals left – and Lani already deeply loved by many in Maui – it did not take long for anger to spread across the beach once people realized someone had targeted her.
‘Karma’ served
After beachgoers realized what had happened, at least one local man confronted the tourist physically.
In a separate clip shared online, a shirtless man is seen approaching the Seattle visitor from behind before knocking him to the ground and throwing several punches in rapid succession.
The video, titled “Maui has a way of delivering karma like no other,” quickly exploded online, with thousands of viewers praising the unidentified local for defending the seal.
“As someone who loves and respects Hawaii, I 100% approve of how this lesson was given,” shared one user in the comment section.
“Needs more cracks! God Bless that young man for his service!!!” added a second, while another wrote, “This man is a hero.”
