Sea Turtle Nesting Season Returns to Anna Maria Island Amid Post-Hurricane Challenges
Sea turtle nesting season has quietly begun on Anna Maria Island, where dedicated volunteers with the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch patrol the beaches at sunrise in search of fresh tracks and new nests. This year, however, the nesting season begins under a cloud of concern following last year's trio of destructive hurricanes.
Despite the damage caused by Hurricanes Debbie, Helene, and Milton, about a dozen sea turtle nests have already been discovered this season. Volunteers are continuing their early morning surveys, carefully documenting each nest with GPS data and photographs for ongoing monitoring.
The storms severely altered the island’s beach landscape, stripping away protective dunes that once shielded nests and reduced the impact of artificial lighting. Without the dunes, light from homes, streets, and businesses is now more visible from the shoreline, posing a major threat to hatchlings that instinctively move toward the brightest horizon, often mistaking inland lights for the ocean.
Last year’s nesting season was a historic success, with 687 nests and around 30,000 hatchlings reaching the Gulf. Volunteers are hopeful for similar success this year, but they acknowledge that the absence of dunes will make this summer’s hatchling season, which begins in July, especially challenging.
To support sea turtle survival, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch urges beachgoers to follow key guidelines:
Fill in holes dug in the sand
Remove all beach furniture and trash before leaving
Knock down sandcastles
Turn off or shield lights visible from the beach after dark
Close blinds and curtains in beachfront properties
Anyone who spots a new nest or sees a turtle in distress is encouraged to contact Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch at 941-301-8434. Every action counts toward protecting these ancient mariners as they return to the beaches that have sheltered generations before them.
