‘I’m rich, fine me’: Man throws rock at beloved Hawaiian seal, offers excuse

HONOLULU — A man filmed hurling a large rock at a beloved Hawaiian monk seal on a popular beach has offered a bold excuse for his actions. The tourist, who witnesses say flippantly told passers-by “fine me, I’m rich,” now claims he was only trying to scare the animal away for its own safety. The incident occurred at a crowded beach on Oahu’s north shore, where the seal—a regular visitor known to locals as “Lefty”—was resting on the sand. A video shows the man picking up a rock and throwing it directly at the seal before walking away as bystanders shouted at him. Monk seals are a protected species under federal and state law, with only about 1,500 left in the wild. Hurling objects at them is illegal and can result in fines of up to $50,000 or more, along with potential jail time. Authorities have identified the man and are investigating the case. He has not been publicly named, and no charges have been filed as of press time.