Pregnant Monk Seal Harassed: Hawaii Man Gets Prison

HONOLULU, HI — A Hawaii man was sentenced to four years in prison for harassing a pregnant Hawaiian monk seal, which are among the world's most critically endangered marine mammals.

A judge on Wednesday sentenced Shylo Kaena Akuna.

Akuna harassed the seal in April 2016 at Kauai's Salt Pond Beach Park, said Kauai Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar. KHON-TV reported previously that bystanders recorded video showing a man wading into the water, swinging at the endangered animal and possibly throwing sand at it. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

"Akuna was apparently highly intoxicated at the time," Kollar said in a statement. "Animal abuse is often a precursor to other types of violence and cannot be tolerated in our community."

The seal gave birth to a female pup about a week after the incident, Kollar said. There are about 1,400 in the wild.

Akuna was sentenced to a year in jail last month for the unrelated theft and slaughter of a goat. He also faces charges on another unrelated case involving an alleged March burglary of a room at the Poipu Grand Hyatt hotel.

Akuna's defense attorney, Mark Zenger, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER, Associated Press

Photo credit: Hawaii Department of Public Safety via AP