A tourist threw a rock at one of Hawaii's most endangered animals — then said "fine me, I'm rich."

Last week near Lahaina, Maui, an unidentified 37-year-old man from Seattle threw a large rock at Lani, a well-known and beloved Hawaiian monk seal. The attack was caught on video. When confronted by a bystander, the man showed no remorse. He was detained by officers, declined to give a statement, and requested a lawyer.

Hawaiian monk seals are among the rarest marine mammals on Earth. Only around 1,600 remain in the wild. They have been endangered since 1976. Lani is not just a statistic — she is part of the Lahaina community. Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen called her part of the ocean's "ohana."

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, harassing or harming an endangered marine mammal is a federal crime — carrying civil penalties up to $36,000, criminal fines, and up to one year in prison. NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement has confirmed it is investigating.

That investigation must result in charges. A man who targets a critically endangered animal on camera and brags about his wealth deserves the full weight of federal law — not a slap on the wrist.

Sign this petition to demand NOAA and federal prosecutors pursue the maximum available charges against the man who attacked Lani.

Photo: Kaylee Schnitzer/Newsweek