Are new lights on Anna Maria Island to blame for sea turtle death? Here’s what we found
New crosswalk lights may be to blame for a car accident that killed a nesting sea turtle on Anna Maria Island earlier this week.
The female loggerhead later died on Wednesday, despite efforts to save her. In interviews with the Bradenton Herald, a sea turtle advocate and a city leader pushed for changes that could prevent future sea turtle deaths.
Kristen Mazzarella, executive director Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, said the incident happened near the Coquina North Boat Ramp on Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach.
Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium sent a rescue vehicle after the turtle was hit around 5:45 a.m. Experts believe the turtle was disoriented due to new crosswalk lights illuminating that part of the road.
Mazzarella and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said the Florida Department of Transportation owns and installed the crosswalk lights. Chappie said it is out of Bradenton Beach’s jurisdiction.
“I have had a few discussions when FDOT presented us with ... what these new crosswalk lighting was going to be like,” Chappie said. “We, of course, informed them immediately that this is going to be a problem with the turtles.”
New crosswalk lights to blame for sea turtle death
Chappie said that he was told an FDOT representative was coming out to turn the crosswalk lights off, though they were not off as of Thursday night.
“I’m curious as to whether they’re going to be on (Friday),” Chappie said. “I hope not. That was a momma turtle and pretty much full-grown grown from what Kristen told me. It’s a sad situation.”
FDOT released a statement Friday afternoon to the Bradenton Herald. The agency said it spoke to local officials and wildlife advocates, which resulted in a temporary agreement to turn off the overhead crosswalk lighting while FDOT works to modify the lights.
“Lighting shields are being procured and will then be installed to block the light from the shoreline,” FDOT said in its statement.
Mazzarella, who is in her second year in charge of the Anna Maria Island group after working 15 years at Mote Marine, also suggested shielding or modifying the crosswalk lights with red or amber LED bulbs to prevent future sea turtle accidents.
“The way we could prevent that would be to keep the lighting from being seen from the beach, where she had nested,” Mazzarella said.
The local conservation group was founded in 1983 and focuses on sea turtles and shorebird monitoring. Sea turtles are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Nesting turtles use the moon’s natural light reflecting off the water to lead them safely back into the ocean, while artificial lights can cause disorientation and lead them in the wrong direction.
Bradenton Beach’s local lighting ordinance was adopted in 1998 and updated in 2005. It prohibits lights that can be seen from the beach to protect sea turtles.
What are Florida’s lighting guidelines?
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers three golden rules when it comes to sea turtle lighting protections.
Keep it low: fixtures must be mounted as low as possible and still be appropriate for the needed purpose. Bulb must produce the lowest wattage/lumens necessary for the needed purpose.
Keep it long: lamp/bulb must produce only long wavelength light (560 nanometers or greater, which is amber, orange or red)
Keep it shield: fixture must be completely downward-directed and able to shield the bulb, lamp or glowing lens from the beach.
