Bioluminescent animals have evolved light production for communication, predation, and defence, raising fascinating welfare questions about their sensory worlds and the welfare impacts of artificial light in deep sea and nocturnal environments.
The welfare of bioluminescent animals is affected by light pollution in terrestrial environments and by human intrusion into deep sea environments. Fireflies whose flashing signals are drowned out by artificial light may fail to find mates, affecting reproductive success and potentially causing frustration of natural behavioural repertoires. Deep sea animals adapted to near-total darkness may experience acute sensory disruption from remotely operated vehicle lights during research surveys. The welfare significance of these impacts depends on the sentience capacity of the species involved.