Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers and onlookers cheered July 21 as 67 green sea turtle hatchlings crawled to the Gulf of Mexico.
The July 21 release was the second hatchling recovery and release for AMITW in three days. On July 19, the organization released loggerhead hatchlings that had disoriented as they emerged from their nest at Bayfront Park in Anna Maria. They were collected as they crawled toward North Bay Boulevard.
The hatchlings released July 21 near lifeguard station 3 at Coquina Beach were rescued by AMITW volunteers after their nest flooded.
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According to AMITW volunteer Glenn Wiseman, sea turtle eggs can withstand several washovers before the permeable eggs are compromised, but standing water can drown hatchlings. Repeated washovers can uncover the nest and drown hatchlings.
Typically, volunteers mark nests and leave them where the nesting sea turtle laid the eggs. AMITW executive director Suzi Fox said there are some instances when volunteers will move the nest.
A nest might be moved because it is in the surf line on the beach or, in Bradenton Beach, inside the construction zone where groins are being replaced.
Fox said the organization has 12 hours from the time the eggs are laid to move a nest. AMITW assumes a window between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. If the nest cannot be located and safely moved before 9 a.m., Fox said it could be more compromising to move the nest than to allow nature to take its course.
In the event of disorientation or, in this case, standing water, the nest is excavated immediately after signs of hatching are observed rather than waiting the usual three days.
During a nest excavation, AMITW volunteers account for hatched egg shells, unhatched eggs, live hatchlings and pipped hatchlings, those that are half in and half out of their shells. After the nest is excavated, live hatchlings are held and released to the Gulf at night, while the unhatched eggs and eggs shells are reburied in the sand.
The releases are conducted at night to give the hatchlings a fighting chance against predators.
AMITW welcomes the public to attend nest excavations and scheduled hatchling releases. Events are posted on Facebook at islandturtlewatch. AMITW can be contacted at 941-778-5638.