ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Sea turtle season officially ends on Oct. 31. Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers are monitoring the one remaining nest left on the Island and checking it daily to see if it hatches.
In the last week, Turtle Watch volunteers hosted a booth at Bayfest on Oct. 18 and held their annual fundraiser, the Sixth Annual Suzi Fox Turtle Watch Wednesday, on Oct. 22.
“Much fun was had as Turtle Watch and Journey, our mascot, hosted our educational and merchandise booth at Bayfest, teaching attendees about sea turtles and showing off the sea turtle carapace (shell), sea turtle skulls and a view of what a nest looks like underground,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella wrote in an Oct. 24 email to The Sun.
Turtle Watch teamed up with Anna Maria Life, which debuted its Anna Maria Life Through the Lens of Angie Blunt 2026 calendars, complete with a raffle for an original Angie Blunt photograph. All proceeds from the calendars go directly to Turtle Watch.
The fundraising event raised more than $30,000 for Turtle Watch.
“More than 70 VIPs attended the party inside Hurricane Hanks and over 250 people attended the event,” Mazzarella wrote. “Highlights were the live auctions for a ride-along with Holmes Beach Chief Tokajer and a ride-along Turtle Watch Experience.”
Mazzarella thanked sponsors A Paradise Realty, Hurricane Hanks/The Pour House/Hurricane Liquors, Slicker’s Eatery, CabanUp, Harbor Lane Court Vacation Rentals, The Anna Maria Island Sun and Mike Sales Music, as well as all the silent and live auction donors.
Donations are still being accepted at: https://square.link/u/gOEvLCL6.
