Investigators are working to determine who scattered hundreds of toxic mothballs across a stunning Florida beach.
Locals reported a bitter odor on St Pete Beach near the Lido Residences on Gulf Boulevard on Monday.
Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) responded to the scene and discovered that hundreds of mothballs were placed in the sand.
FWC Officer Specialist Brian Ferguson told 10 Tampa Bay News the balls were placed from the dunes all the way to the water.
He believes the perpetrator is trying to deter black skimmers, a threatened shorebird species, from nesting.
'My feelings are that they were put out to try and deter the protected skimmers that were on the beach,' Ferguson said.
'It didn't work because the birds were literally sitting, a colony of a couple hundred of them, were sitting within inches of the mothballs, literally surrounding them.'
Mothballs contained chemicals such as naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene, and it is illegal to use them as a wildlife repellent in Florida, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Violators could face fines of up to $10,000.
Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) discovered hundreds of mothballs scattered along St Pete Beach in Florida on Monday
After volunteers cleaned up hundreds of mothballs on Monday, officials said the perpetrator scattered more in the same area overnight
'Mothballs are intended for indoor use and should not be used to repel wildlife,' Florida wildlife agency spokesperson Shannon Knowles told the Tampa Bay Times.
'Placement of them on the beach is harmful, as wildlife can ingest them whether on the sand or if blown into the water.'
Ferguson and several volunteers cleaned up the mothballs on Monday, but when they returned on Tuesday, more had appeared.
'I know they did because I was out here yesterday and I got a bunch — and now they're out here again,' volunteer Sandy Denton told the local news station. 'They did it again last night, I'm telling you.'
Ferguson warned that it is extremely dangerous of these toxic mothballs to be placed on the beach.
'It is considered a poison, and it's regulated by the state and the feds, and it can be considered both a federal and a state violation if used inappropriately,' he said.
'Since they're considered a form of poison, they're highly regulated, and it's toxic. If those skimmers or the seagulls thought that was an egg and wanted to eat the egg, or a grandkid picked it up and thought it was a certain candy, it could have very serious consequences.'
The City of St Pete Beach, Florida released a statement saying they are monitoring the situation.
Locals reported a bitter odor on St Pete Beach (stock image) near the Lido Residences on Gulf Boulevard on Monday
FWC Officer Specialist Brian Ferguson believes the perpetrator to put them to deter black skimmers (pictured), a threatened species of shorebird, from nesting
'The City is committed to supporting our state and environmental partners throughout this investigation and to protecting the sensitive coastal habitats that are vital to our community,' the statement said.
'Shorebirds such as Black Skimmers rely on our beaches for nesting during this critical time of year, and disturbances or harmful substances can have significant impacts on their survival.'
The Daily Mail contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for comment.
Social media users were outraged by the mothball placement and urged the person to stop putting them on the beach.
'To the low life slime balls, bottom feeders that put mothballs on the beach, you are nasty,' one person wrote on Facebook.
'OMG...should be a felony...that's really sick,' added another.
'Wow! What is wrong with people?!? Nature and birds were here before us! Simple solution don’t live on the beach if you don’t like birds or fish or dolphins. WTH,' wrote a third.