Mote recovers dead turtle off Lido Key

A large adult male loggerhead sea turtle was recovered off Lido Key yesterday.

After Lido Beach lifeguards removed the animal from the beach, Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program and Mote staff transported the turtle to Mote.

A necropsy will most likely take place tomorrow, a statement from Mote said.

Mote staff has found no signs of wounds from human interaction. The turtle was fairly decomposed, so it’s harder for staff to check for external evidence of what could have happened, Mote’s statement said.

A rough estimate finds the turtle to be about 175 pounds. Even though Mote staff will weight it tomorrow, its decomposition will prevent the measurement from being perfectly accurate, the statement said.

Although it  seems there was no human involvement in the turtle’s death, it’s important for beachgoers to be mindful of the creatures they’re sharing the beach with. As the Fourth of July nears, Mote reminds people that the Sarasota County Sea Turtle Protection Ordinance requires that any “temporary structures, including but not limited to beach chairs, umbrellas and cabanas which have the potential for entrapment of marine turtles and which may interfere with the use of the natural beach environment for nesting habitat, be removed from the beach nightly, from sunset to sunrise.”

Other tips include stowing trash and fishing line will boating, avoiding feeding marine life and leaving flashlights, fishing lamps and fireworks at home.

Sea turtle nesting season runs until Oct. 31. 

If concerned about sea turtles, hatchlings or their nests, call the Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program at 388-4331.