Grant: 23-016R
Project Title: Crawl Scene Investigation (CSI): Measuring Hatchling Mortality from Artificial Lighting
Project Manager: Ashley Britt Chelberg
Organization: Stella Maris Environmental Research (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $10,000.00
Completion Date:
Summary: Beaches in South Brevard County contribute to protection and conservation of marine turtle populations worldwide. Within this coastline, nestles the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, the highest ranked nesting beach in the world where sea turtles exhibit natal philopatry (returning to their birthplace to reproduce). Unfortunately, light pollution is a definitive form of habitat degradation and is a true threat to Brevard’s sea turtle nesting and hatchling populations. It is critical to determine the fate of emerging hatchlings and the effects of this particular beach’s lighting environment for avoidance of beach mortality. Track evidence of hatchling disorientation has shown that artificial lighting is one of the greatest threats to sea turtles on land. We focus intense data collection on individual “crawl scenes” to measure hatchling mortality and assign these rates to measures of accuracy and precision in hatchling orientation. As part of this project we intend to grow public awareness of lighting as a pollution source for sea turtles in order to reduce human related mortality and exhort long term stewardship. Further, results of this study will be used to inform conservation managers on current lighting ordinance efficacy for protecting sea turtles. Data collected will be shared with FWC/FWRI for temporal study integration and compared to historical data focused on beach lighting affecting hatchling orientation.
Results: