Lawyer says tourist accused of hurling rock at Hawaiian monk seal has been doxed and threatened

Key Points:

• Igor Lytvynchuk, a Washington state tourist, is charged with harassing a protected Hawaiian monk seal after throwing a coconut-sized rock at the endangered animal, as captured in a widely condemned video from a Maui beach.
• Lytvynchuk's defense attorney claims he mistook the seal for an aggressive sea lion and was attempting to protect sea turtles, while noting Lytvynchuk has since been physically assaulted, threatened, and doxed.
• The incident has prompted calls for increased public education on protecting Hawaiian monk seals, a critically endangered species with only about 1,600 remaining in the wild.
• Lytvynchuk faces charges under the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, with potential penalties including up to one year in prison per charge and fines up to $50,000 and $20,000 respectively.
• The case highlights tensions around wildlife protection enforcement in Hawaii, with the defense suggesting Lytvynchuk is being unfairly targeted as an outsider, while local officials and scientists emphasize the seriousness of the offense.