Wall Beach near Vandenberg Space Force Base will be closed for weeks following violations by beachgoers, base officials announced Wednesday.
Authorities said the beach will be closed until October after beachgoers entered zones blocked off to protect snowy plovers during nesting season.
Ten people reportedly entered those zones illegally, prompting officials to close the beach entirely throughout nesting season.
Authorities said people who violated the beach restrictions can be fined in federal court.
The snowy plover is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Pacific coast population has been in decline due to habitat loss and "disturbances due to development, recreation, and other human pressures," according to California State Parks.
