The first sea turtle hatchlings of the year emerged this week from nests on Longboat and Siesta keys, according to scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory, who say the nests hatched right on time. Some of the hatchlings disoriented — lost their way to sea after becoming distracted by artificial light. To help hatchlings reach the [...]
Curious about sea turtles and nesting on our beaches? Learn the tale behind the turtle tracks with Mote Marine Laboratory’s Turtle Walks — free educational strolls in collaboration with Hilton Longboat Key Beachfront Resort. A Mote-trained volunteer will lead groups to scout for signs of turtle nesting while discussing sea turtles and other local wildlife, [...]
A sea turtle that was rehabilitated at Mote after being hooked by anglers multiple times near a fishing pier was released last Friday morning from Lido Beach in Sarasota
The question of beaches — their upkeep and governance — has kept Longboat Key’s functionaries wildly bewitched, bothered and bewildered over the past several months
An ordinance intended to protect sea turtles by forcing property owners to relocate beach furniture at night failed to crawl successfully out of a Town Commission workshop and died on the floor. Longboat commissioners said the proposed rule was onerous, vague and perhaps unnecessary
Although turtle nesting season is over for the year, the new 2011 Longboat Key Turtle Watch shirts are now for sale at the Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key Chamber of Commerce, 5570 Gulf of Mexico Drive, and the UPS store, 5380 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite 105. Cost for the shirts is $15. The next turtle season begins May 1.
A representative of Longboat Key Turtle Watch asked commissioners at their Thursday workshop to adopt an ordinance prohibiting beach furniture from being left overnight on Longboat Key beaches. The representative explained that turtle hatchlings easily become disoriented when they encounter an obstacle on their crawl to the Gulf of Mexico when they hatch. He said the turtles have been coming to our beaches for hundreds of thousands of years and do not expect to encounter beach chairs.
The turtle nesting and hatching season has officially ended. According to Longboat Key Turtle Watch member Freda Perrotta, it was successful season with 144 sea turtle nests compared to 104 last year. The Turtle Watch group wishes to thank those who joined the group at nest excavations and hopes residents and visitors will attend nest excavations next year.
A nest excavation will occur at 7 p.m., Sunday night, Oct. 3 at 7085 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Parking is at the Broadway Beach Access. There will be time for a question and answer session.
According to Turtle Watch volunteer, Freda Perrotta, there are only 12 sea turtle nests left to open with the next one occurring at 7 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 3 at 7085 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Oct. 31 marks the end of turtle nesting season, and Mote Marine specialists have compiled data so far this season that indicates certain species of sea turtles have decreased nesting numbers while other species have slightly increased nesting numbers.
