US Fish and Wildlife Service wants public to know about devastating impact of balloons on animals

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is imploring Americans not to let go of balloons outside.

According to the agency, their impact on wild animals is quite negative — and often fatal.

Many animals are attracted to balloons' bright colors and treat them as food which can harm or kill them. Many more are simply caught up in hanging balloon strings where they are injured or strangled to death.

See photos of adorable zoo animals getting treats:

Sea turtles are particularly at risk as they commonly surface to breathe and then mistake wayward balloons for food.

Another organization, Balloons Blow, has a photo gallery on its website dedicated to showing numerous instances of animals that either died or got injured due to balloons.

The plea from USFWS to avoid releasing balloons comes after more than a hundred of the celebratory plastic orbs were recovered from a wildlife refuge in New Jersey during a recent cleanup operation. The balloons were all found on one beach alone.

The Fish and Wildlife Service suggests people celebrate with environmentally-friendly balloon alternatives like kites, pinwheels and bubbles.

Also see some adorable unlikely animal best friends:

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