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'It's a hazard': TikTok trend leads to massive holes along Florida beaches

Marco Island Police said the hole digging is dangerous for beachgoers and sea turtles during nesting season.

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Beachgoers in Florida could come across some rather large holes while picking a spot to set up the umbrella.

Apparently, a TikTok trend has some people digging massive 6-foot deep holes — and in some cases even deeper and wider — along the coast.

Marco Island Police Department shared a photo of a huge hole found on their beach. 

"We like to leave our beaches better than we found them," the department said in a Facebook post. "Please refill the hole and kindly take your things with you." 

The police department noted that the holes are hazardous to other beachgoers and sea turtles who are in nesting season. 

RELATED: Nesting season for sea turtles and waterbirds has arrived along Florida beaches

Across TikTok, users have shared the holes they have dug along the beach and it's not just in Florida, but in other coastal states as well. 

In addition, holes and items left behind at the beach can be a hindrance to sea turtles, according to Clearwater Marine Aquarium sea turtle rehab specialist Cassandra Starr.

"You can imagine a 3-inch-long hatchling falling into a hole we created," Starr explained. "It may seem small to us, but it seems like the Grand Canyon to them. So, fill in those holes and help them get to the water safely."

The same goes for toys, chairs, pop-up tents and trash. All of these items can act as an obstacle for a nesting sea turtle. 

"One of the other things they can do is knock down their sand castles and fill in their holes," she added.

Between March and October, sea turtles will make anywhere between 40,000 to 84,000 nests across the Sunshine State's coast. The state is a hotspot for sea turtles, with nearly 90 percent of nesting happening on Florida’s beaches. 

RELATED: Floridians asked to shut off unnecessary lights to keep baby sea turtles safe

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