Latest news with #KristenMazzarella
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hay bales on Bradenton Beach safeguard sea turtles
The Brief The 2024 hurricane season washed away sand dunes, sea oats and other vegetation which helped protect nesting sea turtles. Hay bales are now used to help block light and keep turtles on the right track. A female loggerhead sea turtle was recently rescued from inside a swimming pool after bypassing two fences. BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. - Bradenton Beach saw extreme damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Not only were homes and businesses destroyed, but were the beach dunes and all the vegetation that helps protect the coastline and the animals that visit the beach, including sea turtles. Right now, as Florida enters peak nesting season, Manatee County came up with a unique idea to protect nesting. OTHER NEWS: Turtle nests delay temporary fix to Manasota Key Road Hurricane Helene's storm surge washed away dunes, sea oats and local vegetation. All played a role in protecting sea turtles and their hatchlings from light that can disorient or confuse them. What they're saying "We were all trying to find out about what we could do to help the turtles so we could keep them from getting into the road. We wanted to be proactive, we wanted to be preventative and make sure the turtles were safe," said Kristen Mazzarella, the Executive Director of the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird monitoring. The backstory Manatee County Natural Resources came up with the idea. Crews went to work and staked organic, seed-free hay as barriers for the turtles. Seed-free hay ensures nothing will take root on Bradenton Beach that doesn't belong there and helps keep the beach as natural as possible. The Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch was pleased with the idea. "The hay bales are here blocking the rock revetments, so the hatchlings can make their way into the rock revetments. Also, it's blocking the adult turtles from getting into the road. There's a lot of areas they'd have direct access into the road, and it's turning them to a different direction," said Mazzarella. With the hay bales now in place, Manatee County and the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch are asking visitors to keep their hands off and let the hay do its job. In keeping the turtles safe through another nesting season with a few new challenges. What's next As of June 5, 2024, the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch documented 149 turtle nests along the beaches of Anna Maria Island. If you find a sea turtle in distress (adult or hatchling), call AMITW at 941-301-8434 or FWC at 888-404-3922. The Source Information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
1st loggerhead sea turtle nest spotted at Anna Maria Island
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The first loggerhead sea turtle nest was spotted at Anna Maria Island over the weekend. The Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch said it has been patrolling the beach since April 15 to ensure that any early nests are found. Endangered Black Skimmer colony spotted on Anna Maria Island 'We are excited to see that sea turtle nesting has begun on Anna Maria Island and look forward to a productive season,' said AMITW director Kristen Mazzarella. Sea turtle nesting season officially started on May 1. AMITW said residents and visitors should be aware of these tips to help ensure a successful nesting season: Do:• Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach and close drapes after dark.• Remove all beach furniture and toys from the beach at night.• Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles that may impede hatchlings on their way to the water.• Respect posted areas. Keep away from nesting and resting areas and use designated walkways.• Place trash in its proper place and do not feed wildlife. Food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beaches. Litter on beaches can entangle birds and turtles.• Keep your distance. If birds become agitated or leave their nests, you are too close! A general rule is to stay at least 300 feet away from a shorebird nest.• Keep pets away from nesting areas. Even well-behaved pets can be perceived as a threat. Keep cats indoors.• If you encounter a nesting turtle, remain quiet and observe from a distance.• Call AMITW at 941-301-8434 or FWC at 888-404-3922 if you find a turtle (adult or hatchling) in distress.• Spread the word! If you see people disturbing nesting birds, sea turtles, or nest sites, gently remind them how their actions may hurt the animals' survival. If they continue to disturb, please call and report their activities to FWC's Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). Do not:• Use flashlights, cellphones, flash photography or fishing lamps on the beach.• Encourage a turtle to move while nesting or pick up hatchlings that have emerged.• Use fireworks on the beach.• Approach nesting turtles or emerging hatchlings, make noise, or shine lights at turtles.• Intentionally force birds to fly. When birds are chased or disturbed, they use energy they need to reserve for nesting and migration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers sound the alarm over unexpected threat to turtle survival: 'Warning bells go off in my head'
Sea turtles have nested on Florida beaches for 100 million years. But these ancient creatures now face an unexpected threat, reported: stronger hurricanes hitting during their nesting season. Female sea turtles crawl onto Florida's shores from March through October to lay their eggs. Each mother digs a two-foot hole in the sand and deposits about 110 soft, ping-pong-ball-size eggs before returning to sea. She might repeat this process up to eight times per season. In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the state's Gulf Coast just 13 days apart, washing away hundreds of nests. "Warning bells go off in my head," said Kristen Mazzarella, Anna Maria Island's turtle watch director, of dunes that have been replaced by flat sand. These remarkable animals keep ocean ecosystems healthy by controlling jellyfish populations and maintaining seagrass beds. Their empty eggshells even feed beach plants that prevent erosion. But only one in 1,000 baby turtles survives to adulthood. The odds grow worse as warming ocean temperatures intensify hurricanes and bring higher storm surges that can reach 15 feet. Heat creates another problem: The temperature of the sand determines whether eggs become male or female turtles. Warmer temperatures produce more females, which could leave too few males to maintain the population. Conservation efforts since the 1970s have helped sea turtle populations bounce back. Florida had record-high nests in 2023. Local groups teach beach visitors simple ways to protect nests: Fill in holes in the sand that could trap hatchlings, and turn off lights near the beach that might disorient babies trying to reach the ocean. Do you think your house could withstand a hurricane? No way Maybe a weak one I'm not sure It definitely could Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "What's good for the animals, what's good for the habitat, ends up also being good for us," says James "Buddy" Powell, executive director of research at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Protecting turtle-nesting beaches means preserving coastal areas that shield human communities from storms, too. You can help by supporting beach restoration projects in your area and learning more about sea turtle conservation from local environmental organizations. Small actions today will help these ancient mariners thrive for generations to come. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
