Waterline Villas & Marina, Mainsail Vacation Rentals, and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring are inviting guests and the public to attend a sendoff celebration for sponsored female loggerhead “Esther”. The event will include the official tagging and release of a nesting female loggerhead sea turtle – “Esther” – the resort and its community conservation partners are cosponsoring for the 15th Annual Tour de Turtles. Created by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, the annual Tour de Turtles “marathon” event uses satellite telemetry to track the migration of turtles released from beaches in Costa Rica, Panama, Nevis, Anna Maria Island and other parts of Florida. The turtle that travels the most miles over the three-month period will be named the winner of this year’s marathon, which begins August 1.  Monday, June 20 – 6 a.m. tagging begins, 8:30 a.m. turtle release. (Date and time subject to change depending on weather and the nesting turtle.) Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island, Florida (specific location TBD)

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