Video of monk seal attack sparks outrage among officials, community
KAUAI COUNTY, Hawaii (KHON) — Video has gone viral of man attacking a monk seal that was trying to rest in the water.
Kauai County officials confirm police responded to a report of the incident at approximately 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Salt Pond Beach Park.
The video even caught the attention of Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.
“I share our communitys shock and disappointment as this behavior is both unacceptable and illegal,” he said in a statement.
To make matters worse, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says she is currently pregnant with her seventh known pup.
She’s large, and appears to be approaching her due date, said Jamie Thomton, NOAA marine mammal response coordinator. We responded immediately. Our phone started ringing off the hook.
Officials identified her as RK-30, known as Kauais most easily identifiable monk seal because of her battle wounds: shark bites, and boat propeller and neck entanglement scars. Shes believed to be around 17 years old.
NOAA says she is okay. An agent stationed on Oahu flew to Kauai Wednesday to investigate. Federal authorities are now actively searching for the man in the video.
NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement is the lead agency in the ongoing federal investigation, working alongside the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, and county officials.
Monk seals are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Anyone caught harming a monk seal can be fined up to $50,000, and/or one year in prison.
NOAA says it gets several reports of people intentionally harming a monk seal on Kauai each year, but there often isn’t enough evidence to go forth with claims.
We may receive a report second-hand, third-hand, saying they observed something, but we don’t have photographic evidence of that, Thomton said.
NOAA says its important to capture abuse on video and report it. We are finding each year more and more monk seals are accepted on Kauai. Locals are taking protections in their own hands, Thomton said.
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world and they are endemic to Hawaii, added Carvalho. They deserve our respect and protection, and our gratitude goes out to the bystanders who immediately contacted authorities. I urge anyone with information on the suspect to please report it.
Hawaiian monk seals are also protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and state law. To harass, disturb, or injure a monk seal is a crime.
To report information on this incident, contact NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964.
To report a marine mammal in danger on Kauai, call the Kauai Marine Mammal Response Hotline at 651-7668.