On Florida Beaches, Let There Be Dark - Dot Earth Blog - NYTimes.com
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The BP oil gusher has focused attention on just one of many threats to sea turtles. One that is likely far more significant is simply artificial light. I encourage you to watch this video shot earlier this month on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., showing sea turtle hatchlings emerging from their sandy nests at night and, attracted by the city lights, heading inland instead of out to sea. The city has an ordinance mandating dark beaches, but it’s a tough one to enforce, it seems. Below you can read an excerpt from the blog post on the video at Ocean Wire that alerted me (along with Twitterers Ken Peterson and seaturtle.org):Sea turtle hatchlings become disoriented by lights on the beach from businesses and homes. The hatchlings walk towards the light, onto roads, fall into drains or become dehydrated and use their small energy reserves wondering the beach in circles.
This video was taken on 7/10/2010 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on a single night on a one-mile stretch of beach.. Imagine what we miss… The instinct to go towards the light is so powerful that these hatchlings had to be manually redirected several times, even after they were put next to the water.
How is this legal to kill a Federally protected endangered species??? IT’S NOT!!! IT IS A FELONY OFFENSE!!! Ft. Lauderdale has very detailed and specific lighting ordinances to be compliant with the Federal Endangered Species Act.
Ft. Lauderdale Lighting Ordinance Sec. 6-51:
“It is the policy of the City of Fort Lauderdale that no artificial light shall illuminate any area of the incorporated beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.”…
However, there are dozens and dozens of OPEN lighting violation citations that are public record. Many have been open for years!!! You are more likely to get a fine for an overgrown bush in your yard than for killing THOUSANDS of endangered sea turtles. Yet if you touch one without a permit, you go to Federal prison. Read more…
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