Sea Turtle Nests are hatching on Fort Myers Beach. Unfortunately, some of them are going the wrong way due to lights from houses, condos, and resorts.
This morning (Tuesday, August 2) this hatchling and others were found under condos and houses after being disoriented by the property's lights. Some were rescued but many likely perished from predation, exhaustion, and dehydration.
Please, do your part to help save the sea turtles.
Draw your curtains
Turn off unnecessary lights
Use the proper long wavelength lights that are downward directed, and shielded from the beach.
It is so important that visitors and owners draw their curtains after sunset to shield interior lights that cause a lot of disorientations of sea turtle hatchlings. Cooling sands after the sun goes down cues the hatchlings to emerge.
The Town also requests property owners and managers on the beach to turn off unnecessary lights and/or convert exterior lights to long wavelength bulbs (FWC Wildlife Friendly Lighting) in downward directed fixtures that shield the bulbs from the beach. Long wavelength light is on the ROY side of Rainbow’s ROYGBIV, whereas white light contains the entire spectrum.
Loggerhead Turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Act, and The Town of Fort Myers Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Code. The Town considers disorientation of sea turtle hatchlings from man-made lights as an irreparable and irreversible violation with a fine of up to $5,000.
