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Mothballs on Beach: Hotel Owner Charged
30 Jul
Summary
- Two men charged with commercial littering and wildlife harassment.
- Mothballs spread on beach to deter nesting threatened black skimmers.
- Investigation revealed text messages about financial losses due to birds.
Two men face charges for commercial littering and wildlife harassment following an incident on St. Pete Beach where an estimated $60 worth of mothballs were dispersed. The primary goal was to prevent the nesting of black skimmers, a state-threatened shorebird.
One of the charged individuals owns a hotel on St. Pete Beach. Investigators discovered text messages exchanged between the men, indicating they believed the nesting birds were causing significant financial losses, estimated between $25,000 and $50,000. The black skimmer, known for its unique underbite and nesting habits in open sandy areas, faces shrinking habitats due to rising seas and coastal development.
This incident is not the first time shorebird nesting sites have been threatened in Florida. Previous cases include vandalism of snowy plover nesting enclosures, the removal of least tern chicks and eggs from a yacht club roof, and a man intentionally speeding a golf cart through a flock of black skimmers on Marco Island.
