 Balloons can float and drift for days, and once they deflate and fall, sea turtles confuse them for one of their favorite foods, jellyfish. Birds, manatees, and whales also eat balloons, which can block their digestive tract. The new anti-balloon release law does have one exception, children under the age of seven. They won't be prosecuted for letting a balloon go. Jill Nadeau, Fox News.