Through 20 years of population monitoring, DoE has identified artificial lighting on beaches as the primary threat to the survival of sea turtle nesting populations in the Cayman Islands.
Bright lights that shine onto the beach deter female turtles from nesting and are a critical threat to hatchlings (baby turtles). When they emerge from their nests, hatchlings find the ocean by moving away from dark silhouettes and toward the brightest light they can see.