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Outrage has spread across social media and the island of Maui, Hawaii, after a video of a man throwing rocks at an endangered monk seal went viral.
The footage shows the man repeatedly hurling large rocks at a monk seal known as Lani. When confronted by onlookers, the man is heard saying: “I’m rich, I can pay the fines.”
Following the initial video, a second clip reportedly shows locals confronting and assaulting the man, although no official reports have yet been filed regarding the altercation.
A federal investigation has been launched into the man’s actions. Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and state law.
Reports indicate that the man has been located and detained by authorities, though no official charges have been filed at this stage.
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