Sea turtles rescued from Indian Rocks Beach storm drain, improper lighting blamed

The Brief

  • Rescue crews pulled disoriented sea turtles from an Indian Rocks Beach storm drain along Gulf Boulevard.
  • Clearwater Marine Aquarium blames improper beachfront lighting for drawing the turtles away from the shoreline.
  • Indian Rocks Beach issued 82 code violation notices this year to enforce local turtle-lighting rules.

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. A storm drain along Gulf Boulevard became a rescue site Monday morning after multiple sea turtles ended up trapped inside.

Indian Rocks Beach turtle rescue

What we know:

Clearwater Marine Aquarium volunteers and a Pinellas County deputy found the turtles in the drain along Gulf Boulevard.

They believe the turtles may have become disoriented by improper lighting from a nearby beachfront property, causing them to travel away from the water and cross Gulf Boulevard.

Witnesses watch rescue effort

The backstory:

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