55 sea turtle hatchlings found dead after getting disoriented on way to ocean
- More than 50 newborn loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings died this weekend on Florida‘s Anna Maria Island after getting disoriented by artificial lighting and wandering onto Gulf Drive instead of heading toward the Gulf of Mexico.
- Officials from Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring discovered 55 dead hatchlings, marking the highest single mortality count Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella has encountered in her 28 years with the organization.
- Artificial lighting from surrounding homes and businesses obscured the natural glow of the ocean horizon, prompting conservation officials to issue a Rainbow Bridge Alert on social media to highlight the tragedy.
- Conservation leaders urged residents, businesses, and tourists to close indoor blinds after dark, use amber or red spectrum outdoor lighting, eliminate non-essential light pollution, and report disoriented turtles to a 24-hour hotline.
- The incident sparked widespread outcry among local residents and visitors on social media, with many demanding that municipalities enforce stricter light pollution rules and issue fines to non-compliant property owners.
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