November 2, 2021
Lighting Blamed for "Sea Turtle Massacre" in Florida
South Florida News Channel WPLG exposes businesses whose electric light violates local ordinances and is reportedly causing the death of sea turtle hatchlings.
As the International Dark Sky Association describes, sea turtles live in the ocean, yet they hatch at night on sandy beaches. Hatchling sea turtles have one immediate goal to ensure their future survival – find the ocean. They have evolved to locate the sea by seeing the brighter horizon over the ocean, and moving away from landward silhouettes. Instead of reaching the safety of the ocean, the newborn sea turtles often head for illuminated roads, civilization, danger and death.
South Florida News Channel WPLG recently investigated what it describes as a “turtle massacre” and how the local businesses are being cited – or not being cited – for violating lighting ordinances designed to protect sea turtles.
The Broward County turtle-friendly lighting ordinance follows three criteria established by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Lights that are truly "turtle-friendly" meet all three criteria:
- Keep it low - Mount the fixture as low as possible and use the lowest wattage or lumen output necessary for the intended purpose.
- Keep it shielded - Use fixtures that meet or exceed full cutoff (do not emit light above a 90-degree plane) and that shield lamps or glowing lenses from being directly visible.
- Keep it long (wavelength) - Long wavelength light sources are greater than 560 nm and include amber, orange, and red LEDs. The use of filters, gels, or lenses is not recommended.
See the 4-minute investigative report below:
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