Hundreds of toxic mothballs scattered across aFlorida beachhave prompted a state wildlife investigation, amid concerns the toxic pesticide were deliberately placed to harm protected seabirds preparing to nest.
Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said this week they launched an investigation after hundreds of mothballs were discovered along a stretch ofSt. Pete Beach, a coastal resort town about 30 miles southwest of Tampa.
In a statement, the agency explained, "Mothballs contain chemicals that can be toxic to birds and other wildlife and placement of them on the beach is harmful, as wildlife can ingest them whether on the sand or if blown into the water.” Given their toxicity, Florida bans the use of mothballs outdoors.
The mothballs were first found on April 20 scattered near a condo, with dozens more found in plastic bags inside a trash can.Despite an initial cleanupdescribed by one official as "meticulous," according to The New York Times, additional mothballs were found the following day. It's unclear, however, whether they were missed during the initial effort, or purposely placed there after the first dump was removed.
Seabirds at risk
While mothballs can be toxic to humans and pets, officials were particularly concerned about a nearby protected colony of black skimmers, a seabird endemic to the northeastern U.S. and Mexico.
It's believed they may have been purposely placed there to prevent the area's black skimmer population from nesting, ahead of its upcoming mating season which typically lasts from May until early September. The FWCnotesthat when nesting, black skimmer pairs can number in the hundreds and aggressively protect the colony by mobbing potential enemies.
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The shorebirds are recognized as a "threatened" species by the state of Florida, due to increased development threatening natural habitats.
Speaking to local NPR affiliate, WUSF, Lisa Reich, founder and CEO of Coastal Wildlife Advocacy Groupsaid, “[Mothballs] can harm them, it can kill them, it can kill the adults, it can kill the chicks if they ingest it. So it can cause the whole colony to completely abandon their nesting effort.”
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Scope of the problem
Reich added that the number of mothballs could far exceed initial estimates. And with the summer season just around the corner, that could pose a problem for visitors.
“There’s not just hundreds, there may be thousands of mothballs out there,” she said. “And this is a health concern for beachgoers, not only the wildlife.”
Officials with Audubon Florida, which is aiding in the cleanup and investigation, said they "don't want to speculate on (a) motive" during an ongoing investigation, but did note that "attempting to interfere with nesting of a protected species is against the law.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Toxic mothballs found on Florida beach near protected birds
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