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Lights out for sea turtles, wildlife commission says

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 30, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - As night temperatures cool and summer visitors leave Florida's beaches, a different type of visitor moves across the sand surface each night.
Sea turtles hatchlings will move up through the sand from their nests and brave the dangers of the nighttime beach as they dash for the waves.

One of the greatest dangers comes from exterior lights.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, beachfront communities and resorts can help hatchlings make it safely to the Gulf of Mexico by removing obstacles and ensuring that exterior lights are not visible from the beach.

"The FWC will continue to work with beachfront property owners to manage their exterior lights for the safety of both people and sea turtles," said Robbin Trindell of the FWC's Imperiled Species Management Section. "We ask communities to keep their exterior lights mounted low or close to the ground, to use low wattages and long (wavelength) bulbs and to shield the light source to focus light where it is needed, minimizing light pollution or scatter onto the nesting beach."

To find out more, contact the FWC's Marine Turtle Management Program at (850) 922-4330 or e-mail seaturtlelighting @MyFWC.com.

A staff report

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