A tourist accused of throwing a rock at a beloved endangered Hawaiian monk seal called Lani is now facing federal charges after the disturbing incident sparked widespread outrage online.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, a 38-year-old businessman from Covington, Washington, was filmed cruelly targeting the animal along the shoreline in Lahaina on Maui earlier this month, on May 5.
The incident quickly ignited backlash across social media, with many users furious over the alleged mistreatment of one of Hawaii’s most protected and endangered marine animals.
