Earlier this year, NJ proposed fining people caught releasing balloons up to $500. Releasing balloons in any location is bad for nature, but it's even worse when you live as close to the ocean as we do. Animals can mistake the balloons for food and get the plastic stuck in their throats; they can also get tangled up in the string tied to the balloon.

Jenkinson's Aquarium shared a few pictures taken at Island Beach State Park:

Sure, balloons look pretty when they float into the sky, but these pictures are the aftermath that most people don't think about. Luckily those balloons were spotted and brought back to shore before any animals were injured.

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