A man who had been arrested and criminally charged after federal authorities said he was caught on video throwing a rock at an endangered monk seal in Hawaii pleaded not guilty Wednesday, and was ordered to stay away from Hawaii beaches while the case proceeds.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii announced that Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Wash., was charged by criminal complaint on Tuesday with “harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.”
Lytvynchuk appeared in U.S. District Court in Honolulu Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of harassing and attempting to harass a protected animal.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom Trader allowed him to remain free pending the criminal case but ordered him to stay away from beaches and marine wildlife while in Hawaii, the Associated Press reported.
“You’re not going to the beach, you understand that,” Trader told Lytvynchuk, who responded that he understood.
Lytvynchuk declined to comment after the hearing.
Before his hearing on Wednesday, the defence lawyer for Lytvynchuk said that his client was trying to protect sea turtles and has since been physically assaulted, threatened and doxed, according to The Associated Press.
After a witness allegedly confronted Lytvynchuk for throwing the rock, his lawyers claim that a man “brutally assaulted” Lytvynchuk, who declined to file a police report on the assault.
His lawyer Myles Breiner told The Associated Press that his client had been to Hawaii previously and was familiar with sea turtles, but not Hawaiian monk seals. Lytvynchuk is a fisherman and thought the seal was an aggressive sea lion, the lawyer said.
“So his response was not to hurt this monk seal, but to get it away from the turtles,” Breiner said.
His lawyer claims that since a social media video surfaced of Lytvynchuk appearing to throw the rock at the endangered animal, his client has faced death threats and doxing.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii announced that Lytvynchuk has been formally charged with “taking” an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.
“Under the statutes, a ‘taking’ includes, among other things, harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, wounding, and killing a protected species, or attempting to do so. Lytvynchuk was previously charged by criminal complaint on May 12, 2026 and arrested the following day, near Seattle, Washington by Special Agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
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“Today’s charges against Igor Lytvynchuk demonstrate our solemn commitment to not only protect Hawaii’s endangered monk seals, but all of our unique and endangered wildlife species from those who illegally harass, injure, or attempt to take them in defiance of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Igor Lytvynchuk now stands formally charged for these alleged offenses and will face justice in federal court.”
On May 13, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii announced that Lytvynchuk was charged by criminal complaint on Tuesday with “harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.”
Lytvynchuk was arrested on May 13 near Seattle by special agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
According to the criminal complaint, Lytvynchuk was “observed and filmed on May 5, 2026 walking along the shoreline in the Lahaina area of Maui tracking the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal, known as ‘Lani,’ as she playfully pushed a floating log close to the shoreline.”
Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock, “took aim, and threw the rock directly at Lani’s head,” according to the news release.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii said the rock narrowly missed Lani’s nose, startling her and causing her to rear up out of the water.
“Witnesses immediately confronted Lytvynchuk and told him they had contacted law enforcement, to which Lytvynchuk reportedly responded that he was ‘rich enough to pay the fines,’ before walking away,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii added.
According to witnesses, Lani remained largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident, which caused concern over her welfare.
“The unique and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s special place in the world and its incredible biodiversity. We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular endangered Hawaiian monk seals, like Lani,” Sorenson said. “We pledge that those who harass and attempt to harm our protected wildlife will face rapid accountability in federal court.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service – Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case.
On May 6, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) said it was investigating social media posts that appeared to show Lytvynchuk throwing an object toward a monk seal.
“When the officer arrived at the scene, the officer contacted a 37-year-old adult male from Seattle, Washington, who matched the description of the suspect. The male was detained, identified and advised of his legal rights. The male declined to make a statement and invoked his legal rights by requesting counsel of an attorney,” the DLNR said in a news release.
Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as Hawaiian state law. It is one of the most endangered seal species in the world, with an estimated population of around 1,600, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
It is illegal to disturb, harass, feed or otherwise harm a monk seal. Violations may result in fines or criminal penalties.
—with files from Global’s Sean Boynton and The Associated Press
