Florida people need to turn off the lights and close the blinds by 9 pm. The reason is as follows.

It’s the sea turtle season. Florida The town has to turn off the lights and close the blinds.

From May 1st to October 31st, 40,000 to 84,000 sea turtles nest Florida beach.. Turtles dig holes in dry sand at midnight, lay eggs, cover holes and return to water.

With an incubation period of two months, artificial lighting poses a major threat to the process. Thousands of freshly hatched turtles die each year from artificial lighting.Therefore, residents and visitors Sunshine State You will be prompted to turn off the light.

Florida is home to five species of sea turtles, all of which are endangered or endangered.According to the Commonwealth Endangered Species ActGreen, leatherback turtle, hawksbill turtle, and Kemp’s turtle are endangered, while loggerhead turtles are classified as endangered.

It is illegal to harass, hurt or kill sea turtles, eggs and freshly hatched turtles.

How artificial light harms sea turtles

Baby turtles use natural light from the sky to move towards the water. If the artificial lighting in the house is on, the turtle may crawl towards the artificial lighting instead of the water.

Freshly hatched turtles that walk toward artificial light can be attacked by predators, hit by cars, or die from the effects of external factors.

Adult sea turtles become exhausted and dehydrated on the beach after being confused by artificial light. This allows adult female turtles to return to water rather than spawn.

Sea turtle lighting guidelines

according to Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation CommissionReal estate owners who live along nested beaches should follow these guidelines:

1. Keep low – fixtures should be mounted as low as possible and bulbs should produce the lowest wattage

2. Keep Long – Lamps / bulbs should only produce amber, orange, or red long wavelength light (over 560 nanometers)

3. Maintain Shield – The fixture must be fully downward and able to shield the bulb, lamp, or glowing lens from the beach.

The story continues

The city is asking residents to turn off the lights after 9 pm so that the beach can continue to darken. If residents can see their shadows while standing on the beach on a moonless night, there is too much light behind and you need to get a new compliant lamp.

Visitors to the beach need to stay away from the turtles so they don’t get in the way.

Travelers can book sea turtle walks. There you will have the opportunity to see the nesting site, but that is not guaranteed.

Related: How to spend a day in a black-owned Tampa in Florida