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, the black skimmer, from nesting there.

The incident began in late April when beachgoers noticed mothballs on the white sand behind the Plaza Beach Hotel. Officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and volunteers from the Audubon Society responded, removing about 1,000 mothballs from the area.

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

An FWC official warned that as few as 30 mothballs "can wipe out a colony if those young birds haven't fledged yet." The black skimmers were attempting to establish a nesting colony on the beach.

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.

The discovery of the mothballs caused concern among the local community and wildlife advocates, highlighting the risks posed by pesticides to both people and wildlife in Pinellas County.

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