ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. - It’s hatchling season along Florida’s Gulf Coast, but on Anna Maria Island, baby sea turtles are facing tougher odds than usual. Conservationists say artificial lighting is disorienting the newborn turtles, drawing them inland instead of toward the Gulf.

What we know:

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch reports 541 nests this season, producing thousands of hatchlings.

"Our nests are producing a lot of hatchlings and that means that’s good for the species, and we’re really, really happy about that," said Kristen Mazzarella, Executive Director of AMI Turtle Watch. "The big thing is getting the hatchlings to the water."

The backstory:

Last year’s hurricanes wiped away protective sand dunes and vegetation, exposing beaches to nearby lights.

Mazzarella said about fo

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