Light Pollution and Marine Animal Welfare

Artificial light at night disrupts the behaviour and physiology of marine animals from sea turtles to zooplankton.

Key Facts

Sea turtle hatchlings navigate to the ocean by moving toward the brightest horizon but artificial light misdirects them
Coastal light pollution affects the timing and location of fish spawning aggregations
Zooplankton vertical migration is disrupted by artificial light affecting entire food chains
Seabirds including shearwaters are attracted to and grounded by coastal lights causing mass mortality events
The Mediterranean coast loses 50 percent of sea turtle nests each year to light pollution disorientation

Welfare Considerations

Light pollution causes welfare harm to marine animals through disorientation, physiological disruption, and altered predator-prey dynamics. Sea turtle hatchlings that move toward artificial light instead of the ocean exhaust themselves and die from dehydration or predation. Seabirds grounded by light die or are injured on roads and pavements. Disrupted zooplankton migration reduces food availability for fish larvae causing starvation. Chronic exposure to artificial light disrupts melatonin production affecting health in multiple species.

What You Can Do

Support Turtle-safe lighting ordinances in coastal communities near nesting beaches
Use amber-spectrum directional lighting that minimises seaward light spillage
Participate in Froglife and local wildlife group campaigns for dark sky designations
Report mass seabird groundings to local wildlife rescue centres after storms
Advocate for coastal lighting regulations that protect marine habitat from light pollution