A Hawaii man charged over throwing a rock at a Hawaiian monk seal has had his trial pushed back, giving his lawyers more time to build an unusual defense.

• A judge agreed to delay the trial from next month to January.
• Igor Lytvynchuck's lawyers want to argue he was never told about Hawaii's wildlife protection rules.
• They have subpoenaed Delta Airlines for records on whether any in-flight wildlife videos played on his flight from Seattle.
• The case is being watched closely in Hawaii, where harassing the endangered seals carries serious penalties.

Outlook: The trial now starts in January, with the airline records likely deciding how far the "I wasn't warned" defense goes.