BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. — A female loggerhead sea turtle was hit by a car early Wednesday morning after it became disoriented by streetlights illuminating a crosswalk on Anna Maria Island.
Officials from the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring (AMITWSBM) said the turtle was nested in the dunes when it became disoriented by the lights on Gulf Drive.
They added that sea turtles use light to find their way back to the water after nesting, heading towards the "brightest horizon." But sometimes artificial light can cause confusion.
According to officials, the turtle passed away and will be taken for a necropsy by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
"The good news is that she laid eggs before heading towards the road, so her legacy will continue,” said Kristen Mazzarella, Executive Director of AMITWSBM.
AMITWSBM said the turtle's nest will be in danger if the lights aren't modified before it hatches, adding that 105 of 404 nests were disoriented on Anna Maria Island just last year.
To report a sea turtle in distress on Anna Maria Island, call AMITWSBM at 941-301-8434 or FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
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