Tropical Storm Emily tiptoed over turtle nests, official says

A record number of sea turtle nests on Anna Maria Island most likely dodged any destruction from Tropical Storm Emily.

Dastardly winds and heavy rain pummeled the island as the center reached land around 10:45 a.m. Monday. According to Suzi Fox, who heads the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, 28 nests lost their yellow stakes that keep humans from stepping on eggs buried under the sand. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the nests are gone.

“The trend (I’m) seeing is people found no rolling eggs,” Fox wrote in an email to the Bradenton Herald. That means the eggs are most likely still in the ground, but volunteers won’t be able to replace the stakes “as it could be harmful to the hatchlings if we are off by a few inches,” she said.

During Tropical Storm Colin last June, turtle watch said 50 nests were lost.

Fox reminded beach-side residents to use “turtle-friendly bulbs” that won’t distract hatchlings as they make their way to the water. The watch has bulbs available for donation by calling 941-778-5638.

With three months left in the official turtle nesting season in Florida, Anna Maria Island has already surpassed last year’s total by about 30 nests. As of Sunday morning, 459 nests have been counted on island beaches this year.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Tropical Storm Emily tiptoed over turtle nests, official says."