检察官周三宣布，一名在毛伊岛度假的游客因涉嫌向一只濒临灭绝的夏威夷僧海豹投掷石块而被逮捕并起诉。
根据美国夏威夷地区检察官办公室的说法，38岁的Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk被指控骚扰和试图骚扰一只濒危的夏威夷僧海豹，向海豹的头部投掷一块大石头，违反了濒危物种法和海洋哺乳动物保护法。
据检察官称，Lytvynchuk于5月5日被拍摄到沿着毛伊岛拉海纳地区的海岸线行走，跟踪一只被称为Lani的夏威夷僧海豹的运动，当时她正推着一根漂浮的木头靠近海岸线。
检察官说，Lytvynchuk随后捡起一块大石头，直接扔向Lani的头部。据检察官说，石头险些砸到拉妮的鼻子，导致她浮出水面。
法庭文件显示，目击者告诉调查人员，这块石头“有椰子那么大”。
另一名目击者告诉调查人员，这只海豹“显然似乎受到了伤害”，但根据法庭文件，Lytvynchuk在离开前并没有检查这只动物的健康状况。
目击者质问Lytvynchuk，告诉他他们已经联系了执法部门。检察官说，据称Lytvynchuk回答说，他“足够有钱支付罚款”，然后走开了。
据检察官称，目击者报告称，拉尼“在事件发生后的很长一段时间内基本上无法动弹”，这引起了人们对她的健康状况的担忧。
“夏威夷群岛独特而珍贵的野生动物是夏威夷在世界上的特殊地位及其令人难以置信的生物多样性的著名象征。美国司法部长肯·索伦森在一份声明中说:“我们致力于保护我们脆弱的野生物种，特别是濒临灭绝的夏威夷僧海豹，如拉尼。”
检察官说，如果被判刑，Lytvynchuk可能因每项指控和监督释放而面临最高一年的监禁。
Lytvynchuk于周三被捕，目前在押。他定于周四出席首次听证会。
法庭记录上没有Lytvynchuk的律师。
Tourist charged after allegedly throwing rock at endangered seal in Hawaii
A tourist on vacation in Maui has been arrested and charged for allegedly throwing a large rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, has been charged 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, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii.
Lytvynchuk was filmed walking along the shoreline in the Lahaina area of Maui on May 5, tracking the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal, known as Lani, as she pushed a floating log close to the shoreline, according to prosecutors.
Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock and threw it directly at Lani's head, prosecutors said. The rock narrowly missed Lani's nose, causing her to rear up out of the water, according to prosecutors.
Witnesses told investigators the rock was "the size of a coconut," according to court documents.
Another witness told investigators the seal "clearly seemed hurt," but Lytvynchuk did not check on the welfare of the animal before walking away, according to court documents.
Witnesses confronted Lytvynchuk, informing him they had contacted law enforcement. Lytvynchuk allegedly responded that he was "rich enough to pay the fines," before walking away, prosecutors said.
Witnesses reported that Lani remained "largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident," causing concern over her welfare, according to prosecutors.
"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," U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said in a statement.
If sentenced, Lytvynchuk could face up to one year in prison for each charge and supervised release, prosecutors said.
Lytvynchuk was arrested on Wednesday and is currently in custody. He is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing on Thursday.
Court records do not list an attorney for Lytvynchuk.
