A Hawaiian monk seal known as Lani was swimming near the Lahaina shoreline when a man allegedly picked up a large rock, aimed it at her head, and threw it.

The rock missed. But federal prosecutors say it came close enough to startle the endangered seal and force her to rear up out of the water. Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was later charged with harassing and attempting to harass a protected species, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii reports.

Federal agents arrested him near Seattle on May 13. He was scheduled for an initial court appearance the next day.

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Lani is a known Hawaiian monk seal in the Lahaina community.

Lani Was Already Known Along the Lahaina Shore

Lani was not an unknown animal passing through. Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said she has a federal tracker and has been familiar to the community for about seven years, according to Hawaii News Now.

The incident happened off Front Street in Lahaina. Witness video helped move the case from public outrage to a federal criminal complaint.

The complaint says Lytvynchuk walked along the shore while Lani pushed a floating log near the waterline. Prosecutors say he then picked up the rock and threw it toward her head. Witnesses told authorities he later said he was rich enough to pay any fines, WZZM13 reports.

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Federal prosecutors say the rock narrowly missed Lani’s nose.

One of the World’s Rarest Seals

Hawaiian monk seals are among the most endangered seals on Earth. About 1,600 remain in the wild, according to the Associated Press.

They are also native to Hawaii and found nowhere else. That makes every seal part of a fragile recovery effort, especially in the main Hawaiian Islands where people and wildlife often share the same beaches.

The timing adds pressure. Peak pupping season runs from March through August, and NOAA says the five-to-seven-week nursing period after birth is the most critical window for a pup’s survival, NOAA Fisheries reports.

Give Seals Space

Wildlife officials urge the public to keep at least 50 feet from Hawaiian monk seals and at least 150 feet from mothers with pups. NOAA also advises people to stay behind signs or barriers, keep dogs leashed, and use a zoom lens instead of moving closer, NOAA Fisheries reports.

Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources warns that stress can cause mothers to abandon pups or act defensively. The agency also notes that monk seals can weigh several hundred pounds and may bite if they feel threatened, Hawaii DLNR reports.

Lytvynchuk faces up to one year in prison for each federal charge if convicted. He also faces possible fines under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.