DUNEDIN, Fla. — Wildlife advocates are warning people to stay away from the flamingos across Florida.
Amy Reever is a volunteer with Birds in Helping Hands, a non-profit organization that helps injured and orphaned wildlife return to nature.
Reever took us to Honeymoon Island State Park, where a flamingo named Honey used to frequent the area for at least four weeks. She believes curiosity drove the flamingo away.
"I think out of curiosity and fascination, people are getting too close. They’re forgetting these are wild animals. These are not the flamingos that you see at Busch Gardens," said Reever.
Reever said at Fort De Soto State Park, officials have placed electronic signs warning people to stay at least 300 feet away from the flamingos. Flamingos have been spotted across Florida including along Pinellas County beaches after Hurricane Idalia in August. The birds are native to Florida but rarely seen after flamingos were hunted to near extinction at the turn of the 20th century.
Audubon Florida said researchers are watching a flamingo named Peaches. The bird was rescued, treated for exhaustion, and then released last month by volunteers at Seaside Seabird Sanctuary. Peaches has a satellite tracker, and researchers are watching the bird's location.
Audubon Florida said on Facebook, "Our only concern stems from reports that flamingo enthusiasts are approaching the flamingo too closely in order to get photographs. For Peaches' safety, it is best that observers remain 300 feet away to ensure they do not disrupt the bird's natural foraging and preening behaviors.
Reever said kite surfers and people with drones also got too close to the flamingos. She said Peaches has not been seen recently at Fort De Soto Park. She urges people to keep their distance.
"All of these stressors, the noise, the crowds of people, they were stressing the birds out. Many of them have probably never seen a human before," said Reever.
