What has Urban Glow got to do with Turtles?

According to sea turtle experts, hatchlings head towards the brighter light of coastal communities, expending energy needed to reach feeding grounds and encountering hazards such as swimming pools and parking lots while remaining exposed when predatory animals such as rats and raccoons come out to feed.

The biggest impact comes from a less direct source: artificial light. Because turtles have evolved to locate the sea by observing its brighter horizon, artificial light interferes with their ability to navigate to and from the sea.

The most important factor in sustaining sea turtle populations is the survival of hatchlings to maturity. But statistics aren’t on their side - only 1 in 1,000 turtles make it to maturity.

The sea turtle population is also very vulnerable to any kind of human disturbance during nesting season. Beach renourishment, erosion, predators on the beach, humans leaving holes and beach furniture at night, dogs on the beach unleashed during the evening hours and non-permitted vehicles on the beach at night - are all threats to nesting turtles and their young.