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State wildlife officials urge Glynn County to tighten beach leash rules to protect nesting shorebirds
Summary
A Georgia DNR wildlife manager told Glynn County commissioners that vague 'voice control' exceptions and limited enforcement have left St. Simons Island East Beach unusually exposed to dog disturbance, and recommended clearer leash rules and seasonal exclusions for key nesting areas.
Tim Keis, program manager, Wildlife Conservation Section, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, told Glynn County commissioners on April 15 that shorebirds nesting on St. Simons Island’s East Beach are vulnerable to disturbance from off-leash dogs and that the county’s leash ordinance language allowing "voice control" is difficult to enforce.
"There's a combination of both," Keis said when asked where birds nest. "The nesting birds are in the dry sand dunes up above the mean high tide line because those eggs can't flood." He said foraging birds also use the water's edge and Goulds Inlet, and that many shorebird…
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