Watch: Lost Baby Turtles Released On Bradenton Beach By Police, Deputy

BRADENTON BEACH, FL — Lost baby turtles were rescued and released on Anna Maria Island over the weekend with the help of local law enforcement. (Watch a video of the turtle release below.)

Officers with the Bradenton Beach Police Department, Sgt. Nixon with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Monitoring team helped the turtles make their way to the gulf, MCSO shared in a Facebook post.

A Bradenton Beach resident discovered the baby turtles roaming around her apartment complex’s parking lot.

“It appeared the turtles hatched on the beach and traveled the wrong way, crossing over Gulf (Drive) and into the parking lot across the road,” the sheriff’s office said.

The Island Turtle Watch team directed officers and Sgt. Nixon as they collected the turtles and, eventually, released them on the beach about 20 feet from the water. Rescuers hope they were able to imprint on the area, so they return when it’s time to lay their own legs, MCSO said.

The Island Turtle Watch has been receiving reports of disoriented turtle hatchlings. In a Facebook post, the organization reminded beachgoers that the turtles’ nesting habitat should be clean, dark and flat.

“Please do not disturb their journey to the water,” the group wrote. “Do not create a pathway in the sand, the turtles will find their way on their own. No lights from cell phones or cameras.”

Anyone with questions or concerns about hatchlings should contact the organization at 404-275-9422.

Watch the baby turtles' release in Bradenton Beach: