Dim the lights for wildlife at night

You can help protect NSW’s marine wildlife from the stresses and impacts of light pollution by dimming your lights at night.

Marine wildlife, like sea turtles and sea birds, use natural light from the sun, moon and stars, to time critical behaviours such as migration and navigation.

However, artificial light from buildings, streetlights, signs, car headlights, and torchlights, can create light pollution that interferes with wildlife activities.

Bright lights on, or near, beaches where sea turtles nest can deter a mother turtle from laying eggs and disorientate hatchlings when they emerge from the sand searching for the ocean.

Migratory sea birds, such as wedge-tailed shearwaters, nest on coastal islands during summer. Fledglings leaving their burrows (usually around April each year) may accidentally fly toward the artificial lights of nearby towns.

You can reduce the effects of light pollution on wildlife by following the national Best Practice Lighting Design Principles (page 20-25 of the National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife) to protect and restore natural darkness:

• Start with natural darkness and only add light for a specific purpose
• Use adaptive light controls to manage the timing, intensity and colour of light
• Light only the area required
• Use low intensity lighting and keep it close to the ground
• Use non-reflective, dark coloured surfaces near lighting fixtures
• Avoid white lights. Use amber (low CCT) lighting instead, with little or no blue wavelength

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) partners with numerous community groups and organisations to assist sea turtles and seabirds that have been distracted by light pollution.

NPWS is working with wildlife rescue organisations such as WIRES, Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary, NSW Turtle Watch, FAWNA (Fostering and assistance for Wildlife Needing Aid), Australian Seabird and Turtle Rescue, and many other agencies.

If you see a lost sea turtle or sea bird that may have been disorientated by artificial light and needs assistance, please contact your local NPWS office or wildlife carer.

The Artificial Light at Night project is delivered by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service through the Marine Estate Management Strategy Initiative: Reducing impacts to threatened and protected marine species.