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ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. (WFLA) – A female loggerhead turtle died Wednesday morning after being hit by a car, according to the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring (AMITWSBM).
They said the turtle was breeding in the dunes and became disoriented by streetlights at a crosswalk on Gulf Drive.
The turtle died at the scene and will be taken by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for an autopsy.
“The good news is that she laid eggs before she set out, so her legacy lives on,” said Kristen Mazzarella, executive director of AMITWSBM.
The organization fears that if the lighting is not changed before the babies hatch, their nest could become disoriented. In 2023, 105 of 404 nests on the island were disoriented.
AMITWSBM is working with the FWC, Florida Power and Light and the Florida Department of Transportation to find turtle-friendly lighting solutions, as lighting issues are critical for these animals to find their way to the ocean.
Anyone who sees a sea turtle in distress on Anna Maria Island can call AMITWSBM at 941-301-8434 or the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
