Sea Turtles & Lights: The Brightest Unobstructed Horizon

Fort Lauderdale’s nightlife may shine bright — but for sea turtles, those same lights can mean danger.

For millions of years, sea turtles have relied on one of nature’s simplest cues: light. Hatchlings instinctively crawl toward the brightest unobstructed horizon — the shimmer of moonlight and starlight reflecting on the ocean’s surface.

But today, that ancient guidance system is disrupted. Along Florida’s coast, the glow of human development — hotels, condos, streetlights, and even flashlights — often outshines the moon. Artificial lights lure hatchlings away from the sea, toward danger.

A Changing Coastline

Not so long ago, nesting sea turtles could find quiet, dark beaches to lay their eggs. Now, our coastlines are lined with urban infrastructure and busy nightlife. The same lights that make our beaches feel safe and vibrant at night can be deadly for turtles.

Bright lights and loud activity can discourage nesting females from coming ashore. For hatchlings, the results are even more tragic. Disoriented by artificial lights, they wander inland instead of toward the ocean. Many die from exhaustion, dehydration, or predation — some even make their way into roads and parking lots.

Since 2007, Sea Turtle Oversight Protection (S.T.O.P.) volunteers have rescued over 300,000 disoriented hatchlings from artificial light pollution in Broward County alone. Every rescue represents a second chance for a life that could have easily been lost to human impact.

What Is Light Pollution?

Light pollution is the introduction of artificial light into the natural environment. It’s one of the largest threats to sea turtle survival in developed coastal areas — but turtles aren’t the only ones affected.

Light pollution disrupts the behavior of nocturnal and migratory species, wastes electricity, and even interferes with human circadian rhythms — the biological cycles that allow our bodies to rest and recover. It robs us all of one of the world’s oldest wonders: the natural night sky.

Balancing Safety and Sea Turtles

Protecting sea turtles doesn’t mean compromising safety. Modern lighting design offers solutions that keep both people and wildlife safe.

Sea turtle–friendly lighting follows three simple rules:

1. Keep it low. Mount fixtures as low to the ground as possible and use low-wattage bulbs.

2. Keep it shielded. Use full cut-off fixtures that direct light downward, or shield bulbs so the light source isn’t visible from the beach.

3. Keep it long. Use bulbs that emit long wavelengths (570 nanometers or longer) — lights that appear red or amber to the human eye. These are less visible to sea turtles. (Avoid white, blue, purple, green, and yellow lights, which attract hatchlings.)
   

   

   Share this infographic on Sea Turtle-Safe Lighting to spread awareness of the importance of Sea Turtle Safety

What You Can Do

All Broward County coastal municipalities have ordinances that require sea turtle–friendly lighting or mandate lights be turned off during nesting season (March through October on Florida’s East Coast).

Here’s how you can help:

• Stay informed. Awareness is the first step to change.

• Support turtle-friendly businesses. Vote with your dollars — choose hotels, restaurants, and shops that use compliant lighting.

• Close blinds and curtains. When staying near the beach, keep indoor light from spilling outside.

• Speak up. If your hotel or condo doesn’t follow turtle-friendly lighting practices, let management know it matters to you.

• Shop smart. Don’t dine or spend money at establishments that ignore local lighting ordinances.

Small actions save lives. When communities come together, we make the coast safer for both sea turtles and people.

Learn More & Get Involved

To learn more about sea turtle–friendly lighting — including fixture recommendations and local ordinances — visit:

🌐 Sea Turtle Conservancy: conserveturtles.org/beachfront-lighting-turtle-friendly-fixtures-lights

🌐 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC): myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/lighting

Every light turned off brings us one step closer to restoring the natural glow of Florida’s beaches — and giving hatchlings a fighting chance to find their way home.