AMITW Weekly Nest Numbers 9/11/2026
SEA TURTLES:
This week we had no new nests or false crawls. Fifteen nests hatched and we excavated 30 nests – 20 which had hatched and produced 1,190 hatchlings. The remaining 10 excavated nests had reached their overdue date and when we opened the nest we found that no eggs had hatched. This can be the case and we still excavate these nests so that we can collect important data on how many eggs were laid and how many nests did not hatch. One of the 10 nests had actually hatched (hatched eggshells were found inside) but we had not observed evidence of a hatch – likely due to heavy rains.
There are 75 nests remaining on the beach. We continue to monitor for new nests and also check every posted nest for hatch or disturbances. We are currently monitoring the beach for our regular patrols as well as the active beach nourishment project at Coquina Beach.
| 9/5/2026 – 9/11/2026 | This Year |
| Nests this week | 0 |
| False Crawls this week | 0 |
| 2026 Total Nests | 459 |
| 2026 Total False Crawls | 567 |
| 2026 Adult Disorientations | 20 |
| 2026 Hatched Nests | 224 |
| 2026 Nests Inventoried | 283 |
| Nests remaining on the beach | 75 |
| 2026 Hatchlings Produced | 15,873 |
| 2026 Hatch Disorientations | 79 |
| 2026 # Disoriented Hatchlings | 2,293 – 5,210 |
| 2026 Diso Hatchlings found dead | 222 |
Disorientations
This week, 33% of the nests that hatched also disoriented. Unfortunately 38 disoriented hatchlings from 3 nests were found dead in the road. Here’s the breakdown of disorientations by City:
| Hatchling Disorientations on Anna Maria Island by City as of 9/11/2026 | ||||
| City | Total Nests Disoriented at Hatch | Total Hatched Nests | Diso Rate | Disoriented Hatchlings Found Dead |
| Anna Maria | 2 | 42 | 5% | 1 |
| Holmes Beach | 21 | 64 | 33% | 4 |
| Bradenton Beach | 56 | 118 | 47% | 217 |
| Total (Anna Maria Island) | 79 | 224 | 35% | 222 |
AMITW continue to report all disorientations to the local Code Enforcement and we’ve contacted ~10 properties with lights that may cause disorientations to explain to them the problem and ask to help them find a turtle-friendly solution so we can reduce the number of disorientations in the final few weeks of the season. We really appreciate the response we have gotten to our requests and the help we have had from renters and visitors. To all these properties AMITW wants to give a huge THANK YOU! There are 75 nests left on the beach that have a better chance of making it to the water because of YOU! Keep up the great work and spread the word about how to make your property turtle friendly!
If you find a wayward hatchling, not on the beach, please call AMITW’s 24-hour Hotline so we can get it the care it needs! (941) 301-8434.
MAKE SURE YOUR HOME IS TURTLE-FRIENDLY MAY 1 – OCT 31If you live near the beach (even a few blocks away), please take a few minutes tonight to check your lights:
- Turn off non-essential and decorative lights.
- Replace visible lights with turtle-friendly bulbs and fixtures.
- Shield lights so they cannot be seen from the beach.
- Close blinds and curtains at sunset to block interior light.
- Turn off headlights when parking vehicles facing the beach at night.
- Do not use lights (flashlights, cell phones, etc.) on the beach at night
- For rental properties: Order FREE turtle-friendly educational materials from AMITW to help inform your guests.
AMITW Events
AMITW will be holding our annual Fundraiser: Suzi Fox Turtle Watch Wednesday on Wednesday October 21 from 4pm – 6pm at Hurricane Hanks (5346 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach (see attached flier). To make an in-kind donation to the event, please contact us at 941-301-8434. This is a FREE event, Open to the Public. VIP tickets are $80 and include a seat inside Hurricane Hanks (with A/C), a swag bag and a FREE Drink Ticket. There are only 11 VIP tickets left – To get your VIP Ticket, call Linda at 863-287-1133.
PHOTOS:
Hatchlings: Six healthy loggerhead hatchlings found during a nest excavation this week were held for a night release due to the late hour of the excavation and the presence of several gulls in the area. They were released that evening and quickly headed out to see under the safety of night. Credit: Kristen Mazzarella
Leucistic Hatchling: A rare sight, a leucistic loggerhead hatchling was found during a nest excavation this week just emerging from its eggshell. Leucism is a rare genetic condition where the hatchling is born with a reduction in skin pigment. The retain the dark eye color which differs them from hatchlings with abinism. Often leucism is connected with other genetic disorders and the hatchlings don’t fully develop. Some, however, will do just fine and head to the water like the others from its nest. If this hatchling survives and fully emerges from its egg, it will be released to give it a chance in the wild. Credit: Kristen Mazzarella