Zebra crossing traffic lights responsible for death of loggerhead turtles

New crosswalk lights are blamed for the death of an adult loggerhead turtle on Anna Maria Island.

The Florida Department of Transportation recently installed the lights near Bradenton Beach, but they caused the turtle to misinterpret signals to return to the sea.

“One of those clues is looking for the brightest horizon,” said Kristen Mazzarella, executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, “which is the white light of the stars in the sky above the ocean. And they use those clues to find their way back. And the artificial light in our area can confuse the sea turtles.”

She added that this is a rare occurrence in adult loggerhead turtles.

“The adults have more cues to use,” Mazzarella said. “They can smell and see and use them to find their way to the water. But the juveniles only use one general signal, which is to move away from dark shadows and toward the brightest horizon.”

FDOT has since turned off the lights, and Mazarella said she is working with the agency to find a more “turtle-friendly” solution.

“Lightning shields will be procured and then installed to block light from the shore,” FDOT said in a statement.

Mazzarella is urging those near the beaches to shield or turn off their lights – and not just to protect wildlife.

“I would say that anyone can help with lighting issues,” Mazzarella said. “The lighting issues don’t necessarily just help the sea turtles, but they help people see the night sky and enjoy wildlife in a dark environment.”

At Bradenton Beach, lights visible from the sea are prohibited to avoid confusing the turtles during breeding season.