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 about $60 on a large quantity of mothballs at a Walmart the day before the mothballs appeared on the beach. Upon examining his phone, further evidence was found.

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 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 case has raised community concern, with officials expressing worry for the endangered birds while law enforcement continues its investigation.

Sources