Understanding, Assessing, and Resolving Light-Pollution Problems on Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches

Abstract

"Sea turtle populations have suffered worldwide declines, and their recovery largely depends upon our managing the effects of expanding human populations. One of these effects is light pollution--the presence of detrimental artificial light in the environment. Of the many ecological disturbances caused by human beings, light pollution on nesting beaches in detrimental to sea turtles because it alters critical nocturnal behaviors namely, how sea turtles choose nesting sites, how they return to the sea after nesting and how hatchlings find the sea after emerging from their nests."