Turtle Lights |
Last updated on Wednesday, 10/02/02, at 08:32 PM by |
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Background Information
Currently, our community is embroiled in a controversy over protecting nesting sea turtles, their nests and the disorientation experienced by both nesting female turtles and hatchlings by light pollution from local businesses and street lights versus concerns for human safety and beach access. Volusia has developed a Beach Habitat Conservation Plan. Throughout the 36 miles of Volusia County shoreline, approximately 50% no longer permit the driving of cars. Sixty-eight street lights along north A1A were fitted with amber acyclic lens or amber lens shields. Local businesses along A1A have been instructed to no longer allow direct lighting to hit the beach. Those lights must be blackened, shielded or dimmed so as to not disorient the hatchlings causing them migrate away from the beach, towards the road. By the next nesting season all ocean front windows will need tinting to adhere to the new lighting ordinance and all flashlights carried by people walking on the beach at night will have to be filtered. During the months of May through August when turtles nest, incandescent light bulbs attract turtles from the beach despite their normal tendencies to orient in the correct direction. why is is a problem Although artificial light fields may appear very bright to an observer close to the light source. They are less intense than natural sources. These stimuli override turtle tendencies to orient towards the sea. Some sources illuminate mists and clouds creating urban glow which can also distract turtles. The turtles tend to orient themselves towards the brightest direction when they emerge from the nest; normally this is in the direction of the odean, but in urban areas, it will be towards the city's glow. The major problem is not just the hatchlings being misguided but the mother turtles' tendency to avoid brighter beaches and could therefore nest in less favorable conditions or even drop them into the ocean.
lighting and types of lighting ... minimize the effects While most light sources are disruptive to turtles, others have been found to be less hazardous. Low pressure sodium vapor lights that emit a monochromatic yellow light (frequency ?) are not distracting. It has also been found that incandescent lights, tinted yellow or red, are also less likely to atttract turtles. And while standard incandescent lights pose significant problems, their effect can at least be minimized through the use of shielding techniques, which counteract the production of "uplighting" and the resulting urban glow. Pedestrians with flashlights have also proven to be aprticularly detrimental to the sea turtles' orientation.
Too much light. shield the glob lights for the hotels on the beaches ... urban glow ... poeple with flashlights might have more of an effect than the background light produced by mercury vapor lights ... motion of the people moonlight ... affects their abilty get back into the ocean ... new moon there needs to be very little local lighting during the summer the streetlights are turned off ... people need flashlights .... vision in general, how they see, what they see Turtles are nearsighted, and respond to ultraviolet radiation ... solutions to the problem government solutions .... light meter would tell who needs to be cited for a ticket light at "trutle height" .... frequencies they respond to ... meter that will indicate intensity level for the light that the tuirtle sees ... to determine what type of light is dangerous to the turtles. ... too bright for the turtles.. One possible approach to this problem would be to consruct an instrument that can meausre is capable of measuring the amouint of ambient light/ directional lighting/ background light on a beach.
During the months between May and August when turtles nest, incandescent light bulbs attract turtles from the beach despite their normal tendencies to orient in the correct direction. Artificial light fields override turtle tendencies to orient towards the sea. Some sources illuminate mists and clouds creating urban glow which can also distract turtles. The newborn turtles tend to orient themselves towards the brightest direction when they emerge from the nest. Normally, this is in the direction of the ocean. However, in urban areas, they can become confused and may direct themselves towards the city's glow. The detrimental lighting also has a deleterious influence on mother turtles. This may cause nesting turtles to avoid brighter beaches and could therefore nest in less favorable conditions or even drop their neonates into the ocean. While most light sources are disruptive to turtles, others have been found to be less hazardous. Low pressure sodium vapor lights, for example, that emit a monochromatic yellow light (550nm) are not distracting. Incandescent light, tinted red or yellow, are are also less likely to interfere with turtle nesting. Color Vision
Turtle are very sensitive to bright luminescence especially in the green
to
The eyes of sea turtles provide them with good underwater vision, but are
less useful
The studies have proposed the specific synaptic circuitry responsible for Low-pressure sodium vapor (LPS) lighting (minimally disruptive).-- LPS is
by far http://www.swflorida.com/turtletime/lighting/appendix_a.htm
http://www.swflorida.com/turtletime/lighting/appendix_a.htm If hand-held lighting is to be used, deep-red filters should be fastened
over the lens of the source. Red
Nesting occurs from May through August. Close drapes or blinds after dark.
Use light may reach the beach indirectly by reflecting http://www.turtles.org/s768.htm http://www.turtles.org/s403.htm http://www.igc.apc.org/ei/strp/yearofocean.html http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/metropolitan/96/02/27/turtles.html http://bio-www.tamu.edu/USERS/HEATHER/Edition2/News2b.htm As you all know that laws are important to everyone whether it's made for humans or the animals. According to the ESA act which was passed by the Senator Gorton, eliminate all the protection provide to endangered species. I think that is sad because then the thousands of incident animals will die due to the special interest in industrial growthment. However, many bills have been pass in order of welfare of these species. Proclamation 5030 which was dated on March 10, 1983 dismantles all the Endangered species Act. This law provide the Turtle a protection from the fishing boats and the Exploration projects. The Clinton Administration also made some laws to help Turtle and other endangered species. His administration was effective in making the World Trade Organization rules which will protect endangered sea turtles from drowning in shrimp net. His administration also made the laws which would consider paying reparations to nations that continue to kill sea turtles, instead of standing up to these renegade countries. I think that this particular law is effective in order to save our endangered species like Turtle from getting drowned or killed. Also, many other laws had been made to protect Turtle and other endangered species. Nevertheless, every city and state have different ways to proceed the laws. According to (S.768) no one is allowed to posses more than one box turtle. The laws said that it is illegal to buy, sell, or possess Turtle or any other animal. Due to non game laws it is illegal to capture or possess Turtle or any other animal. I think that this law will give the message to the people and tell them about the seriousness of the government in the matter of Turtle. The hunting license was the most important thing that the government did in order to save the Turtles from getting killed. A hunting license did the huge favor to the Turtle because now it is necessary to take no more than five specimens in anyone's possession. The most incredible thing about this law is that it will protect the animals from hunting, harassing, trapping or taken for sailing. Also, the most interesting is the Residents can take up to five live animals for personal use, but not sold or given away. Due to the violations government also required permit for collecting animals for experimenting. This is effective because now under any circumstances you are not allowed to sell any Endangered species without permit. The also describe that you are not allowed to transport, possess, barter or trade these species for internal profit. Last updated on Wednesday, 10/02/02, at 08:32 PM by |
