BRADENTON BEACH – Likely disoriented by streetlights on Gulf Drive, a loggerhead sea turtle that had just nested wandered onto the road and was struck and killed by a vehicle in the early morning of June 19.
The turtle had nested in nearby sand dunes and was likely disoriented by streetlights illuminating a crosswalk, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella.
Sea turtles use light to find their way back to the water after nesting, heading away from dark shadows and towards the brightest horizon, which is usually the light of the night sky over the water. Disorientations occur when sea turtles fail to orient towards the water and travel towards artificial light instead.
Mazzarella told The Sun that the turtle was struck near the Coquina North Boat Ramp at around 5:30 a.m.
“Nesting turtles are 25 years or older, so she was definitely an adult sea turtle,” she said. “Sea turtles produce eggs until they die, so there were many future nests she could have laid.”
The turtle died at the scene and will be taken for necropsy (an animal autopsy) by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
“The good news is that she laid eggs before heading towards the road, so her legacy will continue,” Mazzarella said.
Sea turtles are federally protected by the federal Endangered Species Act and by state laws. In addition, local ordinances protect sea turtles by prohibiting lights that can be seen from the beach. Lights can be turned off, have red or amber (turtle-friendly) LED bulbs, or can be shielded from the beach to prevent them from disorienting sea turtles.
“The nest this turtle laid will be in danger of disorienting if the lights are not modified before the nest hatches. Last year, 105 of 404 nests disoriented on Anna Maria Island,” Mazzarella wrote in a press release, adding that Turtle Watch works with local municipalities, Florida Power and Light, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to identify lighting problems and turtle-friendly solutions.
That area of Gulf Drive is a state road and is managed by FDOT, which did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
It is unclear whether the lights that illuminate the crosswalk are manually operated or remain lit all night.
Mazzarella said that Turtle Watch is working with the City of Bradenton Beach and FDOT to find a solution to lighting that disorients sea turtles.
“I hope this brings awareness to the problem,” she said. “I understand lights for public safety, but they can be shielded or have a change in color.”
Two days after the turtle died, Mazzarella reported that progress was made with FDOT regarding the lights in the area.
“We had a tragic loss of a nesting turtle that was hit by a car on 6/19,” Mazzarella wrote in a June 21 email. “The good news is she became an ambassador identifying lighting problems on the Island and educated the public about the issue. FDOT notified us yesterday that they are turning off the new streetlights that illuminate the crosswalks until a turtle-friendly solution can be installed. Hopefully, this will prevent any future incidents and keep the turtles safe in these areas.”
Turtle Watch officials thanked Manatee County, Mote Marine Laboratory, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bradenton Beach Police Department for assisting in the response to the turtle.
The public can report lighting violations to local code enforcement officials. If you see a sea turtle in distress on Anna Maria Island, call Turtle Watch at 941-301-8434 or the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922. For more information, visit www.islandturtlewatch.com.
