Wildlife Lighting Guidelines -
The 3 Golden Rules to Minimize Impact on Sea Turtles
If you have visited the coastal area, you may have noticed the amber lighting is different from the usual white light in other areas. The red or amber light is strategically used to help protect wildlife like sea turtles from lighting trespass.
How Artificial Lighting Disrupts Wildlife
While artificial lighting has made the nights brighter and makes it easy to enjoy the beautiful scenery at night, it disorders the natural circadian rhythm of some wildlife. For example, sea turtles that get to the shore at night to nest might lose their way back to the sea due to bright artificial light. The result is numerous nesting beaches with high disorientation rates.
Another example is birds getting confused and lost during the migratory season due to the glare effect of artificial light. To protect wildlife, there have been wildlife lighting guidelines for different species. Here is a look at the policies that aim to minimize the effect of artificial lighting on sea turtles.
Artificial Lighting Effect on Sea Turtle Behavior
Thousands of sea turtle hatchling deaths in Florida have been linked to disorientation due to artificial lighting. After the season's nesting, the first hatchlings emerge at around eight weeks. The hatchlings mostly emerge during summer and the early months of fall. Hatchlings are always ready to emerge and wait until the conditions are cool.
By nature, hatchlings always move from the sand in the brightest direction. Without artificial lighting, at night, the open view of the sky that reflects on the ocean is the brightest direction in which the hatchlings move. Besides, the hatchlings move away from dark objects like vegetation or dunes. So, hatchlings don't look to the lunar light for guidance.
When there are artificial light sources, the hatchlings crawling out follow the same instinctive response to move towards the brightest direction. So, they follow the artificial lighting, which leads them astray. Artificial lights shine brighter than the sky and landscape, and the glare makes the hatchlings ignore other directions and move only towards the light.
The hatchlings wander away from the ocean and don't find their way back. Due to their tender age, most die of dehydration after being out of the water for a long time.
Importance of Friendly Lighting to Sea-Turtles
When Installing lighting on your property around the beach, choosing one that is sea-turtle friendly is important. Turtle-friendly lighting has low lumen output, a long wavelength, and is shielded. Therefore, it helps avoid and minimize the negative impact of lighting on sea turtles. It has ecological benefits as it prevents detrimental effects on the turtles and energy-saving benefits to people who adopt the light.
WILDLIFE FRIENDLY LIGHTING PROGRAM
Ecological Benefits
Sea-turtle-friendly lights increase the chance of sea turtles surviving. Since sea turtles are nocturnal, they are mainly active during the night. However, they are very sensitive to light at 580 nm or less.
Generally, sea turtles thrive in dark environments, especially mature ones. So, at night, female sea turtles swim to the shores and nest in dark areas. They then go back into the sea after nesting.
When you use artificial light that is extremely bright and has a short wavelength, adult sea turtles alter their normal behavior. They will be disadvantaged and unsure where they should nest along the shore. Therefore, their nest density is reduced, consequently reducing their population.
Bright artificial lighting exhausts sea turtles; in other cases, some turtles die as light can significantly increase hatchling mortality. Due to artificial light interference, the hatchlings can lose their way back into the sea and dehydrate, leading to death. So, using sea turtle-friendly lighting retains the turtles' normal behavior, supporting nesting, and increasing their chance of survival.
Energy Saving Benefits
Using sea turtle-friendly lighting can also help you cut down on your electricity bills. Since the light is lower wattage, they use less quantity than other types of lighting. Thus, reducing your electricity bill. Although you might pay a high cost for installing a retrofit, over years of use, the cost will balance, and you get to save more.
The Three Golden Rules
When it comes to sea turtle-friendly lighting, there are three basic golden rules. The guidelines are intended for property owners near or adjacent to nesting beaches for sea turtles to reduce the effect of artificial lighting. Here is a breakdown of these rules:
1- Keep It Low
The lighting fixtures should be installed at a low mounting height. The low height ensures the light produces low lumens and meets the basic needs of the turtle.
2- Keep It Shielded
When installing the lighting fixtures, ensure they face downward and are shielded
3- Keep It Long
Sea-turtle-friendly lighting should be wavelength, with 560 nm wavelength or more. Light from standard fixtures is measured by Kevin's temperature. However, turtle-friendly light is measured through peak wavelength in nanometers. The measurement ensures the range of light is long and, thus, not visible to the turtles.
Lighting Requirements
From the human eye, indoor lighting may seem far from the beach and, therefore, doesn't appear visible. However, the light is visible to sea turtles and could affect them. So, if you live near a beach, ensure the indoor lights are minimized. Minimize the light in the home and the light moving through the doors and windows. If possible, shade the windows, have additional curtains, or keep the lights and light from digital devices off during turtle nesting.
As for outdoor lighting, it should meet the three golden rules. The light should be minimal, have low wattage, and have a long wavelength. Besides the three rules, ensure the outdoor lights don't illuminate the beach directly, indirectly, or cumulatively. Avoid having reflective surfaces like mirrors around the lighting fixtures.
In Closing
Most people express concern over the security around the beach area if the area isn't lit. However, beaches don't need as much crime prevention since very little valuable property is stored on the beaches.
Fortunately, you can install turtle-friendly lighting in areas near the nesting beaches where there are residential properties, offices, and other activities. Follow the three golden rules and the above lighting requirements to light lights that protect the turtles and promote safety. You can get your turtle-friendly lighting from LITON's Turtle Safe lighting.