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Sea turtle hatchlings rescued in Bradenton Beach

Volunteers found the hatchlings trapped in sea oat roots.
 
Four loggerhead hatchlings squirm in a bucket before being released into the Gulf.
Four loggerhead hatchlings squirm in a bucket before being released into the Gulf. [ Special to the Times ]
Published Sept. 17, 2019|Updated Sept. 18, 2019

Volunteer beach walkers made an exciting discovery Saturday morning: four live loggerhead hatchlings.

The Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Program volunteers acted quickly to get the hatchlings to the water.

“What we can piece together is that the four hatchlings emerged from the nest shortly after our daily walkers passed by. They were caught in the roots of the sea oats when Linda and Carla rescued them from the nest,” said Kathy Doddridge, a section coordinator for the AMI Turtle Watch.

Fellow volunteers Jenny Oelfke and her son Konnor Oelfke released them into the Gulf.

Sea turtles usually nest from May to October, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They are protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the state’s Marine Turtle Protection Act.