The Butterfly Effect of Seoul's Night View? ... Sea Turtles Face Extinction as They Fail to Lay Eggs

City Lights Affect Underwater Ecosystems
Side Effects Include Disorientation in Sea Turtles and Others

Reports have drawn attention to the fact that the night views of major cities such as New York, Tokyo, Paris, and Seoul may threaten the survival of sea turtles. It is known that the 'light pollution' caused by cities obscures the night sky, disrupting the orientation of some animals.

On the 29th (local time), the Japanese media outlet Asahi Shimbun reported research findings that urban light pollution interferes with the breeding process of sea turtles. Every year during the nesting season, sea turtles arrive at sandy beaches to lay more than 100 eggs before returning to the sea.

The hatchling turtles immediately head to the sea, and at this time, the night sky acts as a compass for the newborns. The hatchlings recognize where the sea is by the moonlight and starlight reflected in the night sky. However, the light emitted from major cities around the world dims the moonlight and starlight in the sky, causing sea turtles to lose their sense of direction.

On the morning of August 28th, a sea turtle release event was held at Saekdal Beach in Jungmun, Seogwipo City, Jeju. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Emily Woolery, an activist protecting sea turtles off the coast of Florida, USA, pointed out, "Both hatchling turtles and mother turtles can lose their sense of direction due to the light pollution created by city night views."

The side effects of light pollution do not end there. Excessively strong lights such as street lamps and building lights cause female turtles to become 'alert.' In other words, turtles may feel threatened and abandon nesting. Moreover, newly hatched baby turtles may mistake roads for the sea and move toward them, resulting in mass deaths.

Sea turtle conservation groups emphasize three important measures to prevent extinction. They told the media, "It is essential to keep city lights dim, implement shielding measures, and maintain longer wavelengths of light." These 'three principles' are not only measures to protect sea turtles but also other animals and plants.

City night view. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

For example, rice plants can be visually confused when exposed to excessively strong light. This causes the timing of grain maturation only in the illuminated parts to be delayed, posing risks to both yield and quality.

Immediate ways to reduce light pollution include lowering the intensity of city lights or establishing uniform blackout times. Paris, France, has long classified light pollution as environmental pollution and has implemented regulations to turn off all street sign lights daily from 11:45 PM to 1:00 AM the next day. Additionally, designing new architectural lighting that is noticeable without strong light is also considered an alternative.

The media emphasized, "Currently, awareness that light is also a form of environmental pollution is relatively low," and added, "The urgent task is to live consciously by being aware of our own light usage."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.