It’s the time of year when sea turtle nests hatch and that means lots of work for Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch. Volunteers walk the beach daily to check the status of marked nests and for tracks of hatch-lings in the sand. The hatch-lings dig their way out from under the sand, usually during the night, and attracted by the moonlight over the water make their journey to the sea.
Three days after the nests have hatched, licensed personnel excavate the turtle nest site to collect data. By counting the empty shells the number of hatched turtles are recorded, along with unhatched, unfertilized eggs and ones that died in the hole. Sometimes a few left behind are retrieved out of the collapsed sand, protected from day-time predators, and re-released at night.
This year there have been 354 369 nests discovered and marked on Anna Maria Island. As of mid August late October, 23,234 baby turtles have emerged.
If you come across baby turtles on the beach do not use flash photography or shine lights on them. Only permitted people may handle turtles. If baby turtles appear to be disoriented and heading away from water, call Turtle Watch 941-778-5638 or 248-982-5500 with your nearest street location. If you are in a house or condo on the beach, turn off porch and balcony lights, and close drapes and blinds at night. Do not leave chairs or canopies on the beach or holes in the sand. Disturbing turtle nests or handling turtles is a Federal and State felony.
For more information about turtles and shorebirds go to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring website.