In an incident that has conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts dismayed, a Hollywood man has been arrested on charges of destroying two sea turtle nests in Hallandale Beach. Luis Coba, 30, was observed by a witness as he tore up the protective barriers around the nests, which included removing wooden posts and tearing the barrier tape, according to NBC Miami.
The witness described to authorities, that Coba started kicking up the sand, effectively disrupting the fragile breeding grounds of the endangered sea turtles. Police were dispatched to the scene of the crime on Monday and apprehended Coba, based on the eyewitness account. Sea turtle nesting season in Florida, which spans from March 1 to October 31 is a critical time for these marine creatures and their habitats. As Sierra Ciciarelli, an outreach manager for the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program, noted to NBC Miami, “Sea turtles throughout the world are endangered or threatened, so it is very critical that we are ensuring the safety of the turtles that are nesting on our beaches and the eggs that are incubating on our beaches.”
Notably, Coba had been recently released on bond for a separate incident, following allegations of false imprisonment, robbery by sudden snatching, and criminal mischief on June 20. The arrest on the turtle nest disruption adds another layer of legal trouble for Coba, who will also be barred from returning to any beaches or possessing any animals, as ordered by the presiding judge, a detail reported by Local 10 News…