Animals
$20,000 Reward Offered After Monk Seal Killed In Hawaii
Federal officials are offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to an arrest after a protected monk seal was killed in Hawaii last month.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement is investigating after a federally protected Hawaiian monk seal was found dead on the island of Molokaʻi.
Preliminary evidence from a necropsy suggests a human caused the animal’s death with blunt force trauma to the head. The seal was likely killed sometime on Aug. 17 or 18.
The seal’s killing violates both the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, officials said. Violations are punishable by fines of up to $100,000 and up to one year in jail.
The agency is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to a criminal conviction or civil penalty in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964. Tips can be anonymous, however, to be eligible for the reward, a name and contact information must be provided.
