Two business owners in St. Pete Beach, Florida, have been charged with third-degree felonies for allegedly scattering approximately 1,500 toxic mothballs on a beach to deter an imperiled bird species from nesting there. The incident occurred near the Plaza Beach Hotel in Pinellas County.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and volunteers from the Audubon Society responded after beachgoers noticed the mothballs on the white sand in late April. They removed about 1,000 of the mothballs from the area.

Investigators, using video surveillance and receipt records, determined that one of the accused, Czyszczon, spent about $60 on a large quantity of mothballs at a Walmart the day before they appeared on the beach, according to FWC officials. Law enforcement served search warrants and conducted further investigations.

FWC officials expressed concern for the birds, noting that about 6,800 black skimmers live in Florida, with several hundred residing on beaches in Pinellas County. An FWC official warned that exposure to the pesticide in mothballs can wipe out a colony if young birds have not fledged yet.

If convicted, the business owners could face up to five years in prison, fines up to $5,000, and up to five years of probation.

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