When you’re looking for an exciting yet relaxing vacation destination, Anna Maria Island, Florida checks all the boxes. Here, you’ll experience that “Old Florida” feeling that so many locations have long since abandoned. Instead of encountering high-rise condos and nationwide chain restaurants, you’ll find individual Anna Maria Island vacation rentals and locally-owned shops and restaurants. This island is truly one-of-a-kind and is gaining the attention of more and more travelers every year.
Anna Maria Island is full of breathtaking wildlife, from countless bird species to playful dolphins jumping in and out of the water. But if you visit the area during the right time of year, you may have the honor to witness the incredible Anna Maria Island turtles!
Every year, sea turtles come to our shores to lay their eggs and commence the nesting season, which is truly a sight to behold. While you’re staying in one of our Anna Maria Island vacation rentals, keep this information about sea turtles in mind.
Sea Turtle Nesting
Sea turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island runs from the beginning of May to the end of October. The same sea turtles don’t nest every year; instead, female sea turtles usually only lay eggs every two or three years. In total, sea turtles will typically lay between 300 and 600 eggs every season! Unfortunately, not all of these eggs survive, but for those that do, the end of sea turtle season marks the beginning of their journey back to the water to rejoin their families and grow into adulthood.
It takes about 30 years for a baby sea turtle to grow up and reach maturity. At that time, female sea turtles will return to the grounds where they were born in order to lay nests of their own. That’s why it’s so important that we protect the pristine environment of Anna Maria Island, providing a place for today’s baby sea turtles to return in a few decades when they’re fully grown. In the future, you can return with your kids or grandkids to see the next generation of turtles come to the shore!
Anna Maria Island Conservation Partners
The Anna Maria Island sea turtles are simply magnificent to watch, which is why it’s important that we all do our part to protect them and their environment. There are several conservation partners working throughout the area, like our friends at Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring, to bring awareness to the local sea turtles and their needs. So if you are in town during the sea turtle nesting season, do your part to get involved! Whether you want to volunteer with a local organization, participate in a fun and educational event, or simply follow some basic practices to protect the sea turtles, every little action can make a huge impact.
Tour De Turtles
During sea turtle nesting season, volunteers from Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring work together to bring awareness to the issues that are impacting these creatures each year. One such instance is the Tour de Turtles, which is led by the Sea Turtle Conservancy. During this event in June, several sponsored sea turtles will be tracked by satellite, including one sponsored by Waterline Villas & Marina and Mainsail Vacation Rentals, and at the end, the turtle that has traveled the furthest distance is declared the winner! Residents and visitors alike can get involved on social media, vote for their favorite turtle, or learn more about important issues like light pollution and climate change.
Turtle Watch/Turtle Talks
If you want to dig a little deeper into the most interesting facts about sea turtles, don’t miss out on the chance to work with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring. Over three decades, this organization has worked to protect more than 270,000 turtle hatchlings in the Anna Maria Island area! Turtle Talks allow visitors to come by and learn about the beautiful Loggerhead sea turtle, which is the most common species here on the island. These talks are typically held around 10 a.m. on Tuesday mornings throughout the summer.
You can get in touch with the organization to find educational materials and learn more about what makes these creatures so unique. They also hold an “Adopt a Turtle” program where you can virtually adopt a turtle for a small donation, allowing you to show your support in a way that feels quite personal and impactful.
Plan Your Anna Maria Island Vacation!
Come explore the wonders of Anna Maria Island! When you book with Mainsail Vacation Rentals, having your dream vacation is easy! Simply select your ideal vacation dates, reserve your favorite rental, and prepare for your best vacation yet!
Turtle Conservation on Anna Maria Island
In addition to working with these incredible organizations, there are certain actions that we can take on a daily basis to protect sea turtles and their environments. These actions are becoming more and more important every day, as six of the seven sea turtle species on earth are currently endangered.
When you’re vacationing on Anna Maria Island, take great care to reduce light pollution as much as possible. If you happen to be staying in one of our Anna Maria Island beachfront rentals, be sure to turn your porch lights off at night. When baby turtles make their way back to the sea, they use the moon as their light source. If there are artificial lights coming from your porch or any other source, the turtles can get distracted and lose their way to the water.
On that same note, avoid using camera flashes, lanterns, or flashlights if you happen to be visiting the beach at nighttime. If you come across a turtle or a nest on your journey, please admire it from afar. Touching sea turtles is not only dangerous to the creature, but it’s actually against the law in Florida. You can also help sea turtles by cleaning up after yourself when you spend time on the beach and collecting any other garbage you might see.
Your Anna Maria Island Vacation Rental
There are all kinds of Anna Maria Island attractions for you to experience, but there’s nothing quite like being in town for sea turtle nesting season. At Mainsail Vacation Rentals, we love welcoming guests during this special time of year, and we aim to be environmentally conscious in all of our practices. You can rest assured knowing that you will have a safe and comfortable Anna Maria Island vacation rental in which to enjoy your trip, and you’ll also appreciate knowing that you’re with a company that loves the sea turtles just as much as you do!
Mainsail Vacation Rentals maintains vacation properties perfect for individuals, couples, or families. We work to ensure your rental is fully equipped and spotless before your arrival, so what you see on our website is exactly what you will arrive at. If you have any questions or concerns during your visit, our helpful staff is no more than a phone call away. We want to help you make your dream vacation a reality!
Come experience sea turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island by booking your stay with Mainsail Vacation Rentals today!
