Red lights keep turtles on track

JUNE BEACH, Fla., July 14 (UPI) -- A Florida beach community has added special filters to lights along an oceanfront roadway to keep sea turtles from losing their way.

Filters installed on waist-high bollard lights along A1A in June Beach, Fla., have a reddish tint and emit a longer wavelength that is less likely to attract female turtles and hatchlings than the whitish-blue light and short wavelength that was previously emitted, the Palm Beach (Fla.) Post said Monday.

The turtles instinctively seek natural light reflected on the ocean and can become confused by streetlights and oceanfront lighting. Officials made the change to the lights to keep the turtles from wandering toward the busy road.

Jean Higgins of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said changing the wavelength will not stop sea turtles from coming toward the lights but does reduce the danger, the newspaper said.