Tourist accused of hurling rock at endangered Hawaiian seal was trying to protect sea turtles, lawyer says

The lawyer for a tourist accused of hurling a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal says his client was trying to protect sea turtles and has since been assaulted, threatened and doxed. Igor Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington , is scheduled to appear in court in Honolulu on Wednesday on charges of harassing and attempting to harass a protected animal. Earlier this month, a witness recorded what prosecutors say was a video of Lytvynchuk throwing the rock at a Hawaiian monk seal at a Maui beach. He later made arrangements to surrender in the Seattle area as special agents with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) were seeking to arrest him, prosecutors said. The video drew widespread condemnation and demands for prosecution in Hawaii, including from Maui’s mayor, Richard Bissen. Scientists identified the seal as an adult male known as R404, according to Noaa. In a separate video statement , the mayor said the monk seal was “not just a seal to us … [but a] part of our ocean ‘ohana in Lahaina”. “Many of our residents know her, watch over her and care deeply about her wellbeing. In fact, members of my team in Lahaina have been tracking and looking out for her for some time now,” Bissen said. He called Lytvynchuk’s alleged behavior “unacceptable”, saying: “As mayor, I not only have a responsibility to protect the people of Maui county, but also the wildlife animals that share these islands with us. …