This white ibis bird was found painted by unknown vandals in Florida. Photo by MyFWC/Facebook

JUPITER, Fla., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials in Florida followed up a request "artists" to stop paining the shells of live turtles with an even more bizarre request: Stop painting birds.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which put out a request late last month for aspiring artists to stop using paint to decorate the shells of turtles and tortoises, posted photos to Facebook of a white ibis bird that had been decorated with orange paint.


"Please keep your paint on the canvas and off of wildlife. White ibis are protected in Florida. Not only is it illegal to paint them, but it is cruel to paint any wildlife," the post said.

The FWC said the bird was taken to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary for rehabilitation.