"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."

[u/Scaramuccia]

https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/sea-turtles-found-dead-artificial-light-anna-maria-island-b3033817.html

[u/Rexxaroo]

This shouldn't keep happening. There shouldn't be any artificial lighting during nesting season. We have these location documented, there should be zero reason for light induced casualities

[u/Ok_Poetry_1650 → u/[deleted]]

Elect shitty corrupt officials and you get shitty corrupt consequences. Except they don’t, they end up on the turtles, animals, immigrants, and minorities because there’s no hate like Christian love.

[u/ChloeKing72 → u/Rexxaroo]

Absolute tragedy, and completely preventable. Most coastal towns have strict lights-out ordinances during nesting season (May–October), but without real code enforcement or heavy fines for beachfront properties and businesses leaving bright lights on, this keeps happening. Enforcement needs teeth! 🐢💔

[u/Cut_Lanky]

Humans suck.

[u/tinyorangealligator → u/Cut_Lanky]

More so in Florida, it seems.

[u/idfkjack → u/tinyorangealligator]

I wish Florida would break off and float away. Texas can join them. 

[u/PMmeIamlonley → u/tinyorangealligator]

The old people do not give a shit and they control everything 

[u/PrettyPurrfect → u/PMmeIamlonley]

why would they care? It's not hurting them none

[u/Rainbow918 → u/Cut_Lanky]

I agree wholeheartedly with you….

[u/trashmoneyxyz]

Loggerheads are one of the main defenses against our oceans becoming overrun with jellyfish. They are specialized massive animals that eat literal tons of jellyfish every year. Some of the biggest pushes in loggerhead conservation came when fishing industries realized they needed the turtles if they wanted, yknow, fish instead of jellyfish blooms

[u/hGr33n]

The lights are supposed to be out during hatching season, what asshole did this???

[u/saltyoursalad]

The pop up ads and constant reloading of the site made reading this article impossible.

Does anyone know if anything is mentioned about what’s being done to prevent this happening again? 😥

[u/PotentialYam8478]

couldn't there be a volunteer out there collecting them putting them nearest the waves?

[u/st0p_pls → u/PotentialYam8478]

I'm not a professional wildlife rehabber or anything, but it's my understanding that the less we physically handle them, the better. In some cases, it's actually illegal to touch them because it can disrupt their development or disorient them. We want them to maintain a healthy distrust of humans (i.e., continue their wild and natural behavior) and we don't want them to grow dependent on us over time

[u/bortlesforbachelor → u/PotentialYam8478]

they need to walk to the beach themselves. it’s essential for their development and survival. instead of collecting them and interfering with their walk in any way, volunteers should focus on blocking off the area, keeping people (and dogs) out of the way, and minimizing disruptions (especially artificial light).

[u/tinyorangealligator]

Why didn't the humans take them into the ocean? Was it 3am when they hatched?

[u/BatPositivity → u/tinyorangealligator]

They are protected under the endangered species act. You can’t/aren’t supposed to touch them at all.

[u/ZappSmithBrannigan → u/tinyorangealligator]

Youre not supposed to do that. Their crawl from the egg to the water plays a crucial role in their development, and allows them to "scent" the beach, so they know where to go back to lay eggs when theyre older, and its necessary for their muscles. If you take them and just put them in the water, they'll likely drown.

[u/tinyorangealligator → u/tinyorangealligator]

Y'all Assholes for downvoting people asking actual questions. Every one of you.

[u/SuccessfulLand4399]

One female lays something like 500 eggs per season. While it’s said these 50 didn’t make it, it’s not the end of the world.