Lights out for Hatchlings

Turning off lights is crucial to the survival of baby turtles. After hatchling turtles emerge from the nest, instinct tells them to crawl toward the brightest horizon. On a dark beach, that is the open horizon over the ocean. However, in the presence of man made lighting the hatchlings often follow the glow of these lights and crawl into roadways and parking lots. Hatchling sea turtles imprint on their natal beach as they crawl to the ocean, orienting their built-in internal compass so they can return and nest there themselves when they're mature, 15 to 40 years later. It is very important for them to make the crawl without any help so that they can orient themselves and return to lay their own eggs.