ANNA MARIA, Fla. – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watching volunteers rescued a pregnant Loggerhead sea turtle stuck in the middle of the road.
AMITW executive director Suzi Fox said she wasn’t sure how the turtle – which weighs about 300 pounds – got there before volunteers found her Wednesday morning near 915 North Shore Drive.
“You’re pregnant, you’re big and you’re lost,” Fox said.
Fox estimated the turtle wandered by about 15 homes near Bayfront Park in Anna Maria. The volunteers safely returned her back into the water.
It’s not the first time a turtle has wandered onto the road in Anna Maria Island, according to Fox.
“This happened in 1997," Fox said. "I was called in the morning, and there was another turtle that crossed the road in that spot."
Fox speculated a dip in the land caused both turtles to get stuck.
Turtles naturally navigate towards the water, Fox said.
The Loggerhead was full of eggs but didn’t nest Wednesday.
Fox said Anna Maria residents can help marine life by getting turtle-friendly light bulbs for the exterior of their homes and by closing their curtains.
Sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31.
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