A resident of Washington state has been detained and charged by federal authorities following an incident involving the harassment of a protected Hawaiian monk seal on Maui.

一名華盛頓州居民在茂宜島騷擾受保護的夏威夷僧海豹，目前已由聯邦當局拘留並起訴。

The legal proceedings commenced after Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, was observed on May 5, 2026, in the Lahaina region of Maui. According to the criminal complaint, Lytvynchuk projected a large rock, described by witnesses as being approximately the size of a coconut, toward the head of a monk seal identified as 'Lani.' While the projectile did not make direct contact, it caused an abrupt alteration in the animal's behavior. Subsequent to the event, witnesses reported that the seal remained immobile for a significant duration. Upon being confronted by bystanders regarding the notification of law enforcement, the defendant reportedly asserted that his financial status would permit the payment of any resulting fines.

此次法律程序始於 38 歲的 Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk 於 2026 年 5 月 5 日出現在茂宜島的拉海納地區。根據刑事起訴書，Lytvynchuk 向一隻名為「Lani」的僧海豹頭部投擲了一塊大石頭，證人描述該石頭大小約如一顆椰子。雖然該物體未直接擊中，但導致動物的行為突然改變。事後，證人報告該海豹在相當長的時間內保持不動。當旁觀者質詢其是否通知執法部門時，被告據稱聲稱其經濟能力足以支付任何隨之而來的罰金。

Institutional responses have been characterized by a commitment to the enforcement of wildlife protections. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) executed the arrest near Seattle, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii has pursued charges under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Mayor Richard Bissen of Maui advocated for prosecution, citing the symbolic importance of the species to the community's recovery following the 2023 wildfires, although the Department of Land and Natural Resources noted a discrepancy regarding the specific identification of the seal. The broader ecological context is underscored by the critical status of the Hawaiian monk seal, with a global population estimated at 1,600 individuals.

相關機構的反應體現了其對執行野生動物保護的承諾。美國國家海洋及大氣管理局 (NOAA) 在西雅圖附近執行逮捕，而夏威夷地區美國檢察官辦公室則根據《瀕危物種法》和《海洋哺乳動物保護法》提起訴訟。茂宜島市長 Richard Bissen 主張起訴，理由是該物種對於 2023 年山火後社區的復甦具有象徵重要性，儘管土地與天然資源部指出關於該海豹具體身份的認定存在分歧。更廣泛的生態背景則凸顯了夏威夷僧海豹的危急狀態，全球估計數量僅為 1,600 隻。

Procedural developments indicate that Lytvynchuk appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on May 14, 2026, where he was released on a personal recognizance bond. Should a conviction be secured, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of one year of incarceration per charge, alongside cumulative fines totaling $70,000.

程序進展顯示，Lytvynchuk 於 2026 年 5 月 14 日在華盛頓西區聯邦地方法院出庭，並獲准以個人承諾保釋。若被定罪，被告每項指控面臨最高一年的監禁，以及總計 70,000 美元的累計罰金。

The defendant is currently awaiting further court appearances in Hawaii to resolve the federal charges.

被告目前正等待在夏威夷進一步出庭，以解決聯邦指控。