Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch holds its 2008 nesting season training for volunteers on April 15th.
Anyone who would like to walk the beach and report turtle tracks and nest activity are invited to volunteer and go through the training session, which will be held at the Holmes Beach City Hall.
Beach walkers will learn how to recognize and report turtle tracks of nesting females on an assigned section of the beach. The nests are recorded and staked off by the AMITW permit holders and observed during the incubation period until hatchling tracks are found.
Nesting turtle season information:
- Sea turtle nesting season is from May through October.
- Federal law prohibits touching or disturbing nesting sea turtles, hatchlings or the nests without a permit.
- Avoid using flashlights or flash photography on the beach at night.
- Turn off outside lights or shield lights from being visible from the beach at night. Lights can disturb adults from nesting and hatchlings from returning to the sea.
