Lights Out For Sea Turtles

poster from wfit.org

It’s near the end of sea turtle season for Florida’s panhandle. Turtle hatchlings are guided to the sea by moonlight, but tragically, artificial light from buildings and houses divert the hatchlings away from the water to certain death. Thanks to the Pensacola Beach Turtle Ordinance, hatchlings are given a darker and safer passage to the sea.

Nesting and hatching season runs from May 1-October 31. According to seefloridaonline.com, scientists estimate only 1 in 1000-10,000 babies survive to adulthood and it can take 15-50 years before a sea turtle is capable of reproducing. Talk about a long adolescence. Sea turtles often return to the beach where they hatched. There are five species of sea turtles found in the Gulf of Mexico, four species nest in the Pensacola Bay area.

The Turtles Being Protected.

The Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) named after the color of its body fat, is unique among sea turtles as it is primarily vegetarian.  

The Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a smaller turtle with a beautiful shell, hunted nearly to extinction. These turtles rarely nest in Pensacola, but they have been spotted in the Florida Keys.

The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of the endangered sea turtles, reaching up to 8 ft. Their favorite food is jellyfish.

The Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) is the most common sea turtle in Florida. 80% of all the Loggerhead turtles in the U.S. nest in Florida.

Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) is the rarest and smallest sea turtle. Their favorite food is the blue crab.

                                                  

          

The Pensacola Beach Turtle Ordinance.

The Pensacola Beach Turtle Ordinance, which for the moment is a voluntary ordinance, asks residents to turn off lights on the beach at night, close the blinds, or install sea turtle friendly lights. The ordinance will require compliance of all existing properties by 2018, though many are complying with the ordinance already.

Here is a link to the ordinance:

http://agenda.myescambia.com/docs/2013/PB/20130603_824/4388_Turtle%20Lighting%20Ordinance%20Draft%207Adocx.pdf

Why Are Sea Turtles In Danger?

When hatchlings first emerge from their nests in the sand, instinct tells them to follow the brightest light towards the water. That light is supposed to be the moon and stars, but lights from houses, hotels, streetlights and shopping centers outshine the moon and distract the hatchlings. Hatchlings are run over by cars, or quickly eaten by gulls and other prey.

On Pensacola Beach, the Santa Rosa Towers proactively shifted to sea turtle friendly lighting in the beginning of the summer. I hope the beach community continues to follow in suit, making the area safer for sea turtle hatchlings as they make their way to the sea.

Here’s a link to the story from the Pensacola News Journal:
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/environment/2014/07/21/sea-turtle-beach-lights/12955793/

How You Can Help.

-It’s always a good idea to turn off any light that isn’t necessary.

-Use red, amber or LED bulbs, which are less disruptive to hatchlings.

-Close blinds or use curtains to dim indoor light.

The Sea Turtle Conservancy (www.conserveturtles.org) suggests we follow these three tips:

1. Keep It Low- Low mounting height and low wattage lights are best. Turn off flood, spot and pole lighting.

2. Keep It Shielded- Direct lighting to the ground and shield fixtures so you cannot see the bulb or lamp.

3. Keep It Long- Sea turtles are less disturbed by long wavelengths of light (570 nanometers or longer)


If you happen to see a sea turtle, please don’t disturb it as they are endangered and federally protected. I’m happy to see that there are also local residents like myself who believe it's important to conserve the beach's ecosystem and protect its inhabitants.

What are your thoughts on light pollution and sea turtle conservation? I would love to hear from you.  "Sea" you later. (I just couldn't help myself.)