A non-profit group in Ocean Isle Beach, in Brunswick County, raised funds to install turtle-friendly streetlights. In addition, they will cover the increased utility cost. Turtle-friendly lights are amber instead of white, so the turtles are not attracted toward them.
In the past, residents were asked to turn off their lights during turtle season to avoid attracting the baby turtles to unsafe areas and away from the ocean, but the bright streetlights still attracted the turtles toward land. An island-wide light survey by The Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization (OIBSTPO) showed that the “worst offenders are oceanfront streetlights, the high rise on the west end, lights in the pier parking lot, and the streetlight that shines on the Ocean Isle Inn.” They opted to begin with the streetlights closest to the oceanfront.
Dr. Rachael Urbanek, a wildlife ecologist at UNCW, said, “Turtle hatchlings instinctively know to go for the brightest light. Without household and streetlights, the brightest light is the reflection of the moon on the ocean.”
Bright white lights coming from porches, home interiors, and streetlights look like the moon to the baby turtles who head inland instead of to the safety of the ocean. Hatchlings also face obstacles and death from cars, predators like foxes and coyotes, and even the chlorine in swimming pools.
“Amber light is a different wavelength, so they can’t see it as well,” said Urbanek. She explained that game cameras often have red lights and photoflashes for this reason.
OIBSTPO has replaced eight of the twenty streetlights closest to the beach so far. Urbanek said that even this small change close to the beach can help.
Debra Allen, Island Coordinator of OIBSTO, said, “Our plan is to replace another 8-10 in 2027 and the remaining streetlights in 2028.” They already have the funds for the streetlights, but they “need to be sure we have funds in reserve for the increase in the utility costs.”
Legislation and 'Golden rules'
The group hopes that the state representatives will approve a revived version of House Bill 1053.
This bill was introduced in 2023-2024 to require turtle-friendly lights and designated vulnerable turtle nesting sites, with $400,000 allocated to offset costs to homeowners, builders, and local enforcement.
The bill died in committee, but if legislators reintroduced it, Allen said the nonprofit “will ask the town to reconsider [their] agreement,” since the state would be allocating money to cover the cost.
Another piece of state legislation that advocates are paying attention to is Senate Bill 1009, which repeals a previous law that banned hardened structures because they contribute to land and beach erosion. Instead, this new bill requires the Environmental Management Commission to create rules that allow structures to be installed. This bill has been stuck in committee for about a month.
The group is hopeful that if the legislature passes SB 1009, “They will include a mandate for wildlife safe streetlights in all communities that install or make changes to hardened structures or semipermanent sandbags, including interlocking sandbags that block sea turtle nesting areas.”
Urbanek added, “Other places may also put shades or adjust the height of the lights” as required by the Florida rules, but as of now, the OIBSTPO has aimed just to change out the bulbs.
Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission published “Three Golden Rules of Beachfront Lighting.” First, “Keep it Low” by mounting light fixtures “as low as possible” for their purpose and using “the lowest wattage/lumens necessary.” Secondly, “Keep it Long” by using “only long wavelengths of light (560 nm or greater, which is amber, orange, or red).” Thirdly, “Keep it Shielded.” The light should “be completely downward-directed” and the “fixture must be able to shield the bulb, lamp, or glowing lens from the beach.”
“The less the lights look like a moon, the better,” said Urbanek.
Voluntary actions at the local level
However, from an ecological standpoint, the effectiveness of the new lights also “depends on how much obstruction there is between the remaining white lights and the nests.” If homes and dunes block the rest of the lights from the turtles’ view, then it will make a significant difference, experts say. If all the homeowners shut off porch lights and close blinds to limit light coming from their homes. That would help as well.
Urbanek said that COA or HOAs sometimes have agreements for lights out or changing lights to red during turtle nesting season, but rental places may be harder to control.
Urbanek said, “It’s a joint effort to lower the amount of artificial light. The less white light, the better.”
“People come to the beach for a number of reasons. Part of that, I would hope, is because it’s a beautiful place,” Urbanek said. It is important to teach tourists why lights and space matter to wildlife. Instead of using white flashlights, tourists could be required to use headlamps with red lights in them that are already readily available.
Allen said that OIBSTPO has had “conversations with other islands about streetlights and how we can facilitate change. Now that these lights are installed on OIB, people and towns can see how much they safely light the way for people, traffic, and the sea turtles we conservationists love.”
Allen added that areas “served by smaller electric companies like Brunswick Electric have a greater challenge as they don’t make changes without the associated costs we incurred. Those served by Duke Energy can make the request at no charge to the town or sea turtle groups.”
In the absence of state legislation or town ordinances, most efforts to make lighting changes that help protect wildlife would be voluntary.
Allen said, “We have no real recourse to compel compliance. The Town of [Ocean Isle Beach] puts door hangers on homes behind or near nests [that] share information about turning off exterior lights and closing window coverings. Most property owners and visitors are eager to help save sea turtles.”
However, some choose not to comply. Allen said their concern is that “window coverings block the view of the ocean. What they don’t realize is that at night, people on the beach can see inside the home, but people inside cannot see out while interior lights are illuminated.”
Light confusion makes turtles easy prey for predators
Urbanek’s research has looked at threats to turtle nests, including light pollution, predation, beach driving, and water inundation, and loss of habitat, issues which are cumulative and driven in part by development.
She said, “Coyotes do well in urban areas with human trash and rats” to eat, but they are more attracted to turtle nests when they can get them. “Turtle and seabird eggs are a great food source, a source of protein for them.”
Exclusion fences around the nests help, but predators can occasionally still break in. With Dr. Urbanek’s help, Bald Head Island tried out some new cages and found some that are more effective. But, Urbanek said, the animals are smart and adapt quickly. They will eventually figure them out.
Urbanek said it’s important to “remind people [and their dogs] to leave turtle nests alone. Don’t let your dog sniff, dig, or urinate around them. Especially if [the nests] are excluded. Coyotes and foxes are canid species, as well. If they smell a domestic dog, it will attract them to the area."
Data, and next steps
Allen said the nests on OIB have not seen hatchings yet, but that by September, they'll have data on how effective the wildlife-safe streetlights are at keeping hatchlings from getting misoriented.
“We are confident less disorientation will occur with the new streetlights. [Volunteers will therefore spend] less time searching the dunes, streets, and under houses for disoriented sea turtles," she said, adding that it's heartbreaking finding dead baby turtles, especially when their deaths are “due to human-made danger.” The hatchlings “are simply trying to find their way to their ocean home," she said.
Urbanek said, “A little bit of education and explanation goes a long way.”
But Allen feels more needs to be done.
“We educate the public at turtle talk, on the beach, and social media. Nothing has changed and no [lights out] mandate has enough commissioners’ support [to pass]. I don’t think this will change until the NC Legislature passes laws protecting sea turtles.”
Allen added, “We need help getting all elected officials to know there is support for this much-needed change. Emailing NC Governor Josh Stein, the NC Legislature, county, and local elected representatives is the best way to help effect change. Continuing to approve development and add hardened structures without mandates to protect wildlife can only be corrected by the humans that created it.”
