Volunteering can be a lot of work.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers added one more task to their daily routine — saving disoriented hatchlings.
Loggerhead sea turtles are still busy laying eggs on island beaches and the nests that were laid about two months ago are now hatching.
However, some hatchlings aren’t crawling toward the Gulf of Mexico. Instead, they are crawling into the dunes — toward homes and businesses, away from the Gulf of Mexico, distracted by lighting that is not turtle-friendly, according to AMITW volunteers and Holmes Beach code compliance officers.
When sea turtle hatchlings emerge from a nest, they instinctively head to the reflection of light on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, unless artificial lights distract and disorient them.
Once in the dunes, hatchlings are easy prey for ghost crabs, birds, raccoons and foxes. Fire ants also attack hatchlings, as documented by AMITW volunteers July 19 near Bean Point in Anna Maria. They also are subject to death by dehydration.
Four nest disorientations occurred July 20 near the Martinique North condos, 5300 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, and at the Bali Hai Beachfront Resort and Spa, 6900 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
Beachgoers told AMITW volunteers they placed some hatchlings in the Gulf and employees of the Bali Hai used colanders to collect and release hatchlings.
But a mystery remained: Hatchling tracks that show them moving parallel to the waterfront stopped before continuing to the water.
In fact, they didn’t head anywhere.
Human footprints and bird tracks were found in the area, so it is possible people put the hatchlings in the water or the tiny sea turtles could have been predated by the birds.
Meanwhile, AMITW volunteers on the south end of Anna Maria Island reported eight disorientations in two days.
At one location, employees and diners at the Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach helped recover 80-100 hatchlings July 20 when they crawled into the outdoor dining area.
In another disorientation July 20, AMITW volunteers Hans Duerr and Birgit Kremer located six hatchlings in Bradenton Beach and released the turtles to the Gulf after observation to ensure they were healthy.
Volunteers said this is the most disorientations they’ve seen and they asked beachgoers to contact AMITW for assistance if they see hatchlings heading away from the water.
If it is necessary to handle hatchlings, gloves should be used, as the turtles can carry salmonella.
Also, the tiny turtles should not be released into the water but set on the sand and allowed to enter the water because the females will later return to nest at their birth location, which is imprinted as they crawl across the sand as hatchlings.
Jayson Clayton, Holmes Beach code compliance officer, said July 21 that disorientations seemed to be caused by interior lighting.
Code compliance officers in the city will be reaching out to waterfront property owners to reinforce the need for closed window blinds at night.
In Bradenton Beach, code enforcement officer Ronald Peterson said July 22 that the city has issues with Florida Power and Light streetlights. The city has had discussions with FPL about shielding or dimming lights but there is yet no resolution.
Where, oh where, goes Esther?
Meanwhile, Esther, the first hard-shell turtle released for the Sea Turtle Conservancy Tour de Turtles, has traveled more than 260 miles since being tagged with a satellite tracker and released June 20 from Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach.
Esther was tracked near Gasparilla Island July 20 and appeared to be swimming north. It was anticipated the turtle would nest again this season on AMI.
The Tour de Turtles is an educational effort led by the Sea Turtle Conservancy. The official start date for the chelonian or hard-shell category is Aug. 1.
The Waterline Marina Resort, Mainsail Vacation Rentals, both located on Marina Drive in Holmes Beach and AMITW worked with the conservancy to make the tagging of Esther possible.
Esther’s travels can be viewed online at tourdeturtles.org.
For more information or questions about AMITW, contact volunteer Barbara Riskay at snqqpy24@aol.com or 404-275-9422.