Low-pressure Sodium Lighting and Sea Turtles

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Christian B. Luginbuhl
U.S. Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station
PO Box 1149
Flagstaff AZ 86002
cluginbuhl@nofs.navy.mil

Version 1.0
26 April 2004

This page contains a brief excerpt from the US Fish and Wildlife Service's letter dated May 2, 2000 to Mr. E. Alexander Stokes III at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. The entire document is linked here (PDF, 1 MB). The letter concerns the effect of lighting used at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and Patrick Air Force Base (PAFB) in Brevard County, Florida on sea turtles.

Of particular concern here are the conclusions in the included Biological Opinion relative to the effects of different kinds of light sources on the turtles.

Page 8: "Incandescent, high-pressure sodium, quartz, and mercury vapor lights were commonly used lights at CCAFS and PAFB facilities. These types of lights emit high levels of blue and green wavelengths and consequently present the greatest potential for deterring nesting activities and causing hatchling disorientation and misorientations. Light management at CCAFS and PAFB has resulted in a significant number of lights being converted to low-pressure sodium lights, which are monochromatic and emit only yellow wavelengths. Although these lights could still cause some hatchling disorientations or misorientations if they are close to the beach and their lamps, globes, or reflectors are visible from the beach, they are much less likely to adversely impact nesting activities or hatchlings, particularly if they are shielded."

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