Respect What’s Beneath the Surface
A recent Maui monk seal incident reminds us why Hawaiʻi’s wildlife deserves space, respect, and protection.
Protected by law — give monk seals space.
This week, Hawaiʻi officials reported an investigation after video appeared to show a man throwing an object toward a Hawaiian monk seal off the Lahaina shoreline. The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources said the case was being referred to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement because Hawaiian monk seals are protected under federal and state law.
For anyone who loves Maui, it was hard to hear.
The Hawaiian monk seal is known in Hawaiian as ʻīlio holo i ka uaua, often translated as “dog that runs in rough water.” and is one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. Seeing one is not like seeing an attraction. It is more like being trusted with a glimpse of something ancient, wild, and deeply Hawaiian.
And that is exactly the feeling Lava Coasts is built around.
Our tagline is “What’s Beneath the Surface” because every coaster is meant to be more than a souvenir. It is a small doorway into the life, stories, and ocean world of Hawaiʻi. A monk seal coaster is not just about a beautiful animal. It is about slowing down long enough to notice what shares these islands with us.
Hawaiian monk seals are protected by law
Hawaiian monk seals are not just rare. They are legally protected.
They are protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Hawaiʻi state protections. That means people may not harass, harm, disturb, feed, touch, chase, crowd, or interfere with a Hawaiian monk seal. Violations can lead to serious fines or criminal penalties.
For visitors, the safest rule is simple:
Stay at least 50 feet away from a Hawaiian monk seal, whether it is on land or in the water. If it is a mother seal with a pup, stay at least 150 feet away. Stay behind signs or rope barriers, keep dogs leashed, and never move closer just to get a better photo.
If you see someone bothering, touching, feeding, crowding, or harming a monk seal, report it. NOAA lists the statewide Marine Wildlife Hotline as (888) 256-9840, and possible violations can be reported to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement at (800) 853-1964.
That may sound serious — because it is.
A monk seal resting on the beach is not being lazy or posing for pictures. It may be recovering from a long hunt, avoiding predators, nursing a pup, or simply doing what it needs to survive.
The best response is simple: give space, stay quiet, keep pets away, and let the animal be.
Because the best memories from Hawaiʻi are not the ones we take by force. They are the ones we receive with respect.
That is why the upcoming Lava Coasts monk seal experience is being designed to do more than show an image. It will help visitors learn the Hawaiian name, understand the animal’s place in the islands, and remember the proper way to share the beach with one of Hawaiʻi’s most precious marine animals.
A coaster may be a simple object. But on a table, in a home, or in someone’s suitcase after a Maui trip, it can become a reminder:
Look closer.
Move slower.
Respect what’s beneath the surface.
Lava Coasts creates engraved slate coaster experiences inspired by Hawaiʻi’s ocean life, island stories, and hidden beauty. Our Hawaiian monk seal coaster experience is coming soon.
