Fla. Officer Saves 100 Sea Turtle Hatchlings

A Sarasota (Fla.) Police officer is being hailed for rescuing 100 sea turtle hatchlings from a resort parking lot.

Officer Derek Conley was on patrol at 1 a.m. Saturday when he stopped at the Lido Beach Resort. As he was leaving, he saw the hatchlings crawling toward the front door.

Several people checking into the hotel helped Officer Conley gather up the hatchlings and put them into a box. Several other turtles were found on the sidewalk and in the middle of Ben Franklin Drive. Officer Conley had to stop traffic several times.

The officer gathered about 70 hatchlings; headed to a nearby beach; and released them into the Gulf of Mexico. He returned to the hotel to find more turtles. He collected them and released them in the water.