Loggerhead Turtles
Anna Maria Island on the Gulf of Mexico sees mostly the loggerhead sea turtle which is also found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. They are named for their oversized large log like head. A female loggerhead sea turtle may travel thousands of miles to return to the beach where she hatched as a baby to lay her own eggs as an adult. This species has a low reproductive rate. The turtle reaches sexual maturity within 17—33 years and has a lifespan of 47—67 years. Females generally nests every two to three years. On average, they lay eggs four times in one nesting season with each nest containing up to 100 eggs.Hatchlings will appear after about 60 days and dig their way up through the sand toward the surface. They wait underneath the last layer of sand until nightfall to pop out and head toward the ocean. to avoid predators like raccoons, crabs and birds.
Lights
The three Anna Maria Island cities will monitor the compliance of all island residents strictly. Lighting inspections will begin the 1 st week of May. All lights that are a direct point source of light visible from the beach from sunset to sunrise need to be turned off or shielded. Turtle friendly bulbs (including rope lighting) need to be installed. Mother turtles can get confused by the lights when they come ashore to nest which could result in a false crawl where the mothers are not staying to lay their eggs or even drop them in the water where they do not hatch. Also, when baby turtles are hatching during the night they depend on the moon light to guide them to the water. Other light sources can be distractions and can result in disorientation which is fatal for the hatchlings when reaching Gulf Drive instead of the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes during the nighttime on the beach.
