Video: 87 Sea Turtle Hatchlings Rescued From Storm Drain

CLEARWATER, FL — It doesn't take much to disrupt the critical journey of a newly hatched sea turtle to the safety of the sea.

The endangered species can easily confuse a porch light with natural moon light. The ruins of a child's sand castle can cause a hatchling to reverse course, crawling toward the road instead of the ocean. And something as simple as a hole in the sand from a beach umbrella can trap a tiny hatchling.

Most likely one of these distractions caused a nest of 87 logger head sea turtle hatchlings to become disoriented and fall into a storm drain.

They were discovered by the Sea Turtle Patrol Team from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which spends nesting season from May 1 to Oct. 31, watching over sea turtle nests and watching out for baby sea turtles in distress.

With the help of fire rescue workers, the team recovered the hatchlings from the storm drain and took them to the aquarium for a health assessment. When the baby turtles were all deemed healthy, the team took them back to the beach at night and made sure they crawled in the right direction — toward the sea.

Pinellas County has about 35 miles of sandy beaches on its 11 barrier islands that are patrolled every year during nesting season.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium monitors sea turtle nests from Clearwater Beach to Indian Shores; Sand to Sea Inc. monitors the beaches from Redington Shores to Treasure Island; and Sea Turtle Trackers monitor the beaches of St. Pete Beach, Shell Key and Outback Key. Honeymoon Island State park rangers monitor the nests there.

In 2019, turtle trackers in Pinellas County monitored 254 nests, which produced 12,237 live sea turtle hatchlings.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

How You Can Help

Use sea turtle-friendly lighting. If you must use lights near nesting beaches, use amber or red light bulbs that have long-wavelength light (570 nanometers or longer). Cover or shield light fixtures and keep them directed down and low to the ground whenever possible. Do not use lights from cell phones or cameras near nesting beaches. Even these lights can disorient sea turtles.
Under natural conditions, hatchlings and adults use brightness to guide them to the water from the beach. The reflection of the moon and stars over the water usually creates the brightest horizon, but on developed beaches, lots of artificial light (street lights, exterior/interior lights on homes, decorative lighting, etc.) confuse the turtle and cause them to think that those sources of light are where the water is. They crawl toward that light, wasting precious energy they need to reach the ocean. If they become misled by artificial light, hatchlings can become disoriented and die.

For nesting females, artificial lights can deter them from emerging onto a beach at all, forcing them to select less optimal nesting sites to deposit their clutch.

Turn out unnecessary beach lights to help prevent the disorientation of female sea turtles and hatchlings. Close your curtains and be mindful of bright lights shining on the beach.

Most of Pinellas County's beach communities have ordinances prohibiting lighting that casts glare onto the beach during turtle nesting season.

Beach visitors and residents should also:

• Do not pick up hatchlings heading toward the water, shine lights or use photo equipment with a flash.
• Remove obstacles such as sand castles or sand pits that may make it too difficult for hatchlings to make their way to the shoreline.
• Keep the beach clean. Eliminate trash items that may entangle baby hatchlings and adult turtles.
• Do not approach or harass adult turtles as they make their way back to sea.
• If residents spot turtle tracks or a possible nest, and it does not appear to be protected by stakes or ribbon, call 1-888-404-3922.

To report the disturbance of a sea turtle nest, or report the sightings of turtles or hatchlings lost, stranded or wandering in the street, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement at 1-888-404-3922 or *FWC from a cell phone.
For more information on sea turtle nests, click here.

See related stories:

• 1st Sea Turtle Nests Spotted; Beach Goers Reminded To Take Care
• World's Rarest Sea Turtle Makes Nest On Beach In Clearwater