Tourists Are Breaking These Florida Laws and Don’t Even Know It

In Florida, feeding wildlife comes with harsh penalties - from $100 fines to up to five years in prison for repeat offenses. Fish and Wildlife officers keep watch at popular tourist spots, looking for people breaking these tough rules.

Break the law once? You'll get hit with a $100 civil fine. Do it again, and things get worse. The second offense becomes criminal, with fines going up to $500 plus up to two months in jail.

When bears, alligators, or crocodiles are involved, the punishment gets even tougher. Three violations with these dangerous animals leads to first-degree misdemeanor charges, hitting offenders with $1,000 fines and possible year-long jail terms.

These hard rules came after a black bear attacked someone in Longwood. People in the area had been feeding bears, causing them to lose their natural fear of humans and become aggressive.

Sea life gets special protection. Laws stop all interaction with manatees, sea turtles, and dolphins. Even a simple touch counts as harassment under both state and federal rules.

Officers keep an eye on parks and beaches for people breaking the law. Many tourists break these rules without knowing how serious they are. While officers usually prefer to educate first-time offenders rather than ticket them, they get tough on repeat offenders.

Get caught a fourth time feeding dangerous wildlife? You might face a whopping $5,000 fine and five years in prison - if bears or alligators were involved.

Regular tourist actions fall under these rules. Throwing bread to seagulls, putting food out for raccoons, or feeding sandhill cranes - it's all illegal. The laws apply to all wild animals.

State law section 379.2431 puts special protections around water mammals. These rules aim to keep both people and wildlife safe by keeping them separate.