Comments on: Watching Out for Sea Turtles on Anna Maria Island

By: What Not to Collect on Anna Maria Island: Live Sand Dollars

What Not to Collect on Anna Maria Island: Live Sand Dollars — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:58:38 +0000

[...] stress feeding and resting shore birds, disturb nesting birds, remove shells and shellfish, disturb turtle nests, and to turn off lights shining out at Gulf-front water, which interfere with turtle landings and [...]

By: The Clean Beaches of Anna Maria Island

The Clean Beaches of Anna Maria Island — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:49:43 +0000

[...] biggest problem is how this affects our precious wildlife. Sea turtles, who eat jelly fish, can easily mistake a plastic bag for food. We’ve all see birds entangled [...]

By: v

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:09:27 +0000

I walked the beach a couple of weeks ago at night and was very distressed to see all the lights blazing by exterior doors on the houses closest to the beach. How can the residents there live in such close proximity to nature and have so little regard for the wildlife? If they are rentals they need to have some information in the lease agreement about the lights. I wish the city cracked down on that more for the sake of the turtles.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:09:45 +0000

Hi Alayne,
Usually turtle nests are marked with 4 yellow painted stakes and warning tape in a 3 foot square. The mother covers the excavation well and usually it is hard to see, not leaving a mound. Tracks from the water to the nest and back are clues until obscured by people footprints or tide water.
I doubt if the orange sprayed mounds are related to turtles. The Sandbar has many wedding functions that may have used marker paint for a ceremony.
Thanks for your comment and keep looking early in the morning for tracks from overnight visitors!

Mike

By: Alayne Treacher

Alayne Treacher — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:20:37 +0000

I am on holiday here and we saw some mounds of sand near The Sandbar which had been sprayed orange , We wonder if these are turtle nests ?27 April 2009