I saw them this morning while walking near the Intercoastal. Turtles are now hatching in Jensen Beach and they’re going in the wrong direction because of the ambient light to the west of the ocean. Turtle season means Dark Sky conservation.

Shut off the lights if you’re living on the ocean at night!

The best technology available for sea-turtle-friendly lighting is a Red or Amber LED.

Many of the light fixtures we produce and install have shrouds and compliant Amber and Red LED lamps that shoot down at the ground and are FWC-compliant. Turtle season and dark sky are in effect until November.

Sea Turtle Conservation

Of all the animals on earth, Sea Turtles are doubtless under the most threat from light pollution. Sea Turtles live in the ocean, yet they hatch at night on sandy beaches. Hatchling sea turtles have a singular goal to ensure their future survival – find the ocean. They locate the sea by seeing the brighter horizon over the ocean, and moving away from landward silhouettes.

Sea Turtles are an endangered species. Sea Turtle conservation is vital to the survival of these tiny hatchlings. Of the 10,000 born, only 1 might live to adult maturity.

Artificial Lights Can Lead Baby Sea Turtles to Their Demise

Adult female Sea Turtles can have a hard time finding a dark beach for laying their eggs and our suburban and city lights confuse their hatchlings. Instead of reaching the safety of the ocean, newborn sea turtles often head for roads, civilization, danger, and death. In Florida, millions of hatchling Sea Turtles die this way every year.

Light pollution has a major impact on species of endangered or threatened sea turtles that nest on developed beaches. With the use of proper lighting practices, technology, and awareness, IDA is making it possible for our endangered sea turtle populations to rebound.

Turtle-friendly light fixtures are designed to keep light where it is needed — pointed downward. And turtle-friendly light sources limit the spectrum of light emitted to minimize the impact on turtles. When used correctly, these lights provide proper illumination for human safety without negatively impacting sea turtle nesting or hatchlings’ ability to find the ocean.