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

The incident began in late April when beachgoers noticed mothballs scattered 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 about $60 purchasing a large quantity of mothballs at a Walmart the day before they appeared on the beach. Upon examining his phone, further evidence was gathered.

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

The discovery of the mothballs caused concern within the community, and law enforcement served search warrants as part of the ongoing investigation. The charges include illegal dumping and the attempted take of a protected species.

The case highlights tensions between local business interests and wildlife conservation efforts in Pinellas County, Florida, where several hundred black skimmers reside.

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