woman touches monk seal. gets $500 fine and outrage

[Demovictory9]

A woman from Louisiana who was honeymooning in Hawaii has been fined $500 after a social media video showed her touching an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, US authorities said, per the AP. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched an investigation last month and found the woman violated the Endangered Species Act, says agency spokesperson Dominic Andrews.

A video posted on TikTok and other social media showed a woman touching the seal at a Kauai beach in June, following her wedding in Maui. The video showed her running away after the seal snapped at her, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday, noting the couple later received death threats.

The couple previously apologized and told the Star-Advertiser that they love Hawaii and didn't mean to offend anyone. There are an estimated 1,100 Hawaiian monk seals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and 300 in the main Hawaiian Islands. Under state and federal laws, it's a felony to touch or harass a Hawaiian monk seal. Penalties can include up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Authorities warn people must remain at least 50 feet away from the animals or 150 feet away from pups with their mothers. NOAA also fined another traveler $500 for touching a resting Hawaiian monk seal. It's unclear when that encounter occurred, but an Instagram account shows the visitor visited Oahu in May, the Star-Advertiser reported.

https://www.newser.com/story/309203/honeymooner-touched-a-seal-then-came-the-death-threats.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=uol&utm_campaign=rss_world_login

[hlthe2b]

1. Knowing she was caught and prosecuted brings me great satisfaction.

IDIOT!

[madaboutharry]

2. You will also get in trouble if you touch a turtle.

There are signs warning not to go near them.

[DFW]

6. There is a serious double standard concerning the honu, as we found out

One time, while my wife and I were snorkeling in a bay near Waikoloa on the Big Island, she called out to me to „stop it!“ As I was maybe 100 or more meters away from her, I thought I had misunderstood. Then she called out again, this time more irritated, and told me again to „stop it!!“

I yelled out „stop what?“ She finally realized how far away I was, looked over her shoulder and let out a scream when she saw that it was a giant sea turtle, and not me, that had been gently clapping her on the shoulder.

She swam away quickly, and the turtle got off with not so much as a warning.

[Bluepinky]

9. Great story!

I love turtles, but it would scare the hell out of me if a giant sea turtle was nuzzling my shoulder. I bet they have sharp mouths!

[DFW]

10. I'm sure they do

Apparently, this one only swam by for a quick Aloha (or whatever the Honu version is), and my wife didn‘t stick around long enough to find out if it had any other contact planned.

[Beringia]

3. Very good she got fined

[PoliticAverse]

4. At least she didn't break the seal. n/t

[Xavier Breath]

5. Even if yoiu are ignorant of any laws

pertaining to the seals, why would you still think it a good idea in general to sneak up on and tap a resting wild animal? I suppose next on her bucket list is surprising a bison in Yellowstone. Dumbass.

[RANDYWILDMAN]

7. She did it for Tik tok views

really sad...it's all about me, look at me

go away

[maxsolomon]

8. LOL, I bet I've met the lady who turned her in.

At Poipu Beach there was a woman who roped off the sleeping seals every day.

She also screamed at oblivious snorkelers (who were underwater and couldn't hear her) when Sea Turtles swam close to them. "THAT'S ILLEGAL! THAT'S ILLEGAL!" Yes, it is, but they cannot hear you over the noise of fish crunching coral.

There are also signs everywhere telling you not to touch the seals. Of course, a few locals see them as spearfishing competition and shoot them.