Whether you're walking by or setting up a beach chair, right now we're getting a front-row seat to turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island."I was walking on this area and I was like, I've seen these nests. You can go on this side and look at this. It's pretty cool," said Terrance Jacobs, a local fisherman.Moments like these are what volunteer Jerry Miller says makes it all worth it.Miller has volunteered with the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Group for two years. This year alone, they've monitored 449 nests.But this week, they received a devastating call on their 24-hour hotline from Gulf Boulevard.WATCH: Simple lighting changes could save turtle hatchlings on Anna Maria Island Simple lighting changes could save turtle hatchlings on Anna Maria IslandA heartbreaking discovery"We had a call about some hatchlings that had disoriented into the street because of artificial lighting," Miller said. "Our volunteers came down that night when they got the call and along with some other bystanders and the police were getting some live hatchlings out of the road, but unfortunately, we had 55 hatchlings that were deceased and just smashed in the road, which is heartbreaking."Miller says this is one of the higher numbers of hatchlings they've lost to artificial light and one of their saddest stories.Photos from the scene show tracks leading to a nearby storm drain. Miller says local firefighters rescued hatchlings from drains three times last week alone.Why light is deadly for hatchlingsSea turtles typically hatch at night when there are fewer predators on the beach. When they emerge from their nests, they instinctively look for the brightest horizon which should be the ocean reflecting starlight."They need a dark background," Miller explained. "When there's artificial lights from interior lights, street lights, headlights, decorative lights, anything like that can cause those turtles to go the wrong way and get confused and they ended up in the street."The problem persists throughout nesting season, which runs from May through October. It takes about two months once a nest is laid for hatchlings to emerge."Even adult turtles can disorient as well," Miller said. "With the hatchlings, they have a much harder time and can end up in storm drains, more exposed to predators, or just depleted of energy when they go on those long treks the wrong way."The odds are already against themEach nest contains over 100 eggs, but only 1 in 1,000 sea turtles will make it to adulthood and that's only counting the ones that actually make it to the water."That just stresses how important it is that we give them the best chance they have," Miller said. "It takes them about 30 years to reach maturity, so it takes a long time for those guys to grow up." The fix is simpleThe good news? The solution is straightforward."This is such a simple thing that can be resolved. It is a human issue," Miller said. "It's as simple as turning out those lights or changing those lights."Miller says one of Turtle Watch's big goals is education making sure visitors, business owners, and property owners understand their role in sea turtle conservation.For property owners, that means making sure lights are turtle-friendly, properly shielded, and can't be seen from the beach.For visitors, it means turning off interior lights facing the beach, pulling down shades, and avoiding flashlights on the beach at night."We don't encourage really anyone to be on the beach at night because the least disruption and distraction for those animals is the best possible scenario," Miller said."My buddy be telling me if we fish at night on the beach to be careful with the lights, make sure you got like the proper lights so that the turtles can get back," Jacobs said.Lighting ordinances exist but education is keyAll three municipalities on Anna Maria Island have lighting ordinances in place, Miller said. When volunteers respond to disorientation incidents, they look for properties that may have caused the disruption and try to contact owners to let them know it needs to be corrected.But Miller emphasizes education is crucial."This is an issue not just we face on Anna Maria Island but all over the state of Florida," he said. "We have a lot of visitors from other places."The group hosts turtle talks every Monday at 10 a.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall, inviting the public to learn more."A lot of people want to see these turtles and they want to make sure they're happy and healthy and living out their full lives," Miller said. What happens to rescued hatchlings?When volunteers find disoriented hatchlings, they follow different protocols depending on the turtles' condition.If they're energetic and ready to go, they'll release them that night. If they're lethargic from burning too much energy, they'll let them rest before releasing them the following day or night.Hatchlings found in swimming pools must be transported to a rehabilitation facility because once sea turtles hit water, they start a "swim frenzy.""We want to make sure that they don't burn that energy up in those pools," Miller explained.The volunteer experienceFor Miller and other volunteers, the work is worth it even on the hardest days."It's the greatest job in the world," he said. "We come out right at the break of dawn. We patrol all of Anna Maria Island, so we're looking for any kind of new nesting activity the mamas crawling up the beach, laying a nest or hatching activity."Volunteers document everything, following disoriented hatchling tracks to storm drains to find and recover live turtles. They also provide the state with crucial data on sea turtle health and population numbers."All of us as volunteers are passionate about these animals and we want them to be happy and healthy and go the right way," Miller said. "We do remain hopeful. We want people to enjoy these animals like we do and hopefully care for them and get this word out so that they know just how significant the role they play in this is as well."Where to find turtle-friendly lights:Amber lights can be purchased on Amazon or by calling the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch at 941-301-8434. The group may even provide lights to property owners and has special cards with film that shows what a turtle would see in different lighting conditions. ...read more read less