A 52-year-old man was fined after his dog was seen in video footage barking at a Hawaiian monk seal, according to a news release.
The incident at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park on Oct. 10 was caught on video by a witness.
The video shows a dog running up to a seal and barking at it. The seal responds by grunting and barking back. A resting monk seal could hurt or kill an off-leash dog.
The dog owner was tracked down after several weeks and charged by three state and federal agencies. Hawaiian monk seals are endangered animals and are protected by many state and federal laws.
The DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement charged the man for harassment of endangered and threatened species under State law and permitting a dog to stray without a leash under Hawaii County Code. For these charges, the man has a court appearance scheduled on Jan. 26, 2023.
The National Park Service law enforcement charged the man with failure to restrain a pet and disturbing wildlife activities. For the NPS petty misdemeanor charges, the man can avoid going to court by paying fines of $80 and $130, respectively.
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement charged the man with violating the federal Endangered Species Act. NOAA’s charges are civil, and penalties will be assessed in accordance with NOAA’s Penalty Policy.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources news release said the man would not be identified because people cited for seal harassment received death threats on social media in the past.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii.