The Effects of Light Pollution on the Animal Kingdom
Everyone knows that any outdoor light is usually surrounded by an assortment of insects. No one really stops to think about the effect the lights have on these insects they just know that insects are attracted to light. The fact is that it is more than just an attraction, it is an obsession. Insects will fly around from light to light congregating with other insects and are eventually blinded, exhausted or overheated to death. Studies show that the average street lamp kills at least 150 insects each night it is lit. Multiply that by 365 and you get 54,750 insects killed by one lamp in a year. A city block has at least 4 usually more in the range of 8 street lamps. That means that one city block is knocking out 219,000 to 438,000 insects per year. Now picture how many street lamps reside in New York City, or the United States of America. The number of insects being killed by street lamps gets to an unfathomable number when you factor in all the street lamps in the world which probably in itself is in the millions. You are probably thinking the less bugs the better, but the birds, bats, reptiles and frogs have different thoughts on their minds.
Sparrows and a number of song birds rely on insects for protein. With the loss of billions of insects every year to light pollution, the hunt for food is becoming more difficult for these birds. Frogs, Lizards and bats also rely on insects for meals and shortages in food could be an issue in the near future. The abundance of artificial lighting is more directly related to the death of thousands of birds than their starvation due to lack of insects. Most birds embark on biannual journeys to warmer climates and back to their habitat of originality. In order to navigate this journey they use the magnetic force of earth with their internal compasses along with the constellations and the moon as an atlas. Usually these birds travel across massive areas of land and thousands of miles of ocean, using the reflection of the stars and moon to guide their way. In the past, this reflection created the brightest luminosity compared to the land and the birds would easily be able to find their way to their destination. Now the moonlight has some competition with the coastline lined with brightly lit cities creating a glow in the sky that is brighter than the natural illumination of the heavens.
According to the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP), at least 100 million birds are killed annually by manmade structures. These deaths are a combination of disorientation due to artificial lighting, bright lights and towers with blinking beacons. A large majority of the deaths are caused from collisions with either other birds or buildings, towers and other manmade structures due to confusion from too many or too bright lights. A couple of significant mass killings of birds have occurred in the United States over the past fifty years. Cause of death: LIGHTS. On October 7, 1954, 50,000 birds followed a bright light beam lit by the Warner Robins Air Force Base in Georgia only to hit dead into the ground. More Recently in 1998, nearly 10,000 birds slammed into radio transmission towers in Kansas. Although these may have been freak accidents, it only proves the theory that the over usage of lights is killing our birds.
Most commonly associated with light pollution is the endangered sea turtles of Florida. Six species of turtles are known to live in the Atlantic and five of these are endangered. Sea turtle eggs are buried in the beach by their mothers and hidden for a period of time. When they hatch, the hatchlings are supposed to crawl towards the water by looking for the brightest horizon. Like the birds, this used to be the reflection of moonlight and stars on the water or the reflection of the sun on the water. However, in the past couple decades, Florida has urbanized their coastline with six distinct sky glows on the eastern coast. Instead of heading for the water, the hatchlings are disoriented and heading for the cities and die from either exhaustion, being hit by a car or other various deaths. The sea turtles of Florida are not expected to be in existence in fifty years.
As you can see, light pollution is not just an inconvenience to those who are intrigued by the night sky, but also to those who believe that the animal kingdom is sacred. The animal kingdom is in danger of being eliminated because of humankind’s excessive need to light up our world. There is better use for our energy and money and certainly a better use for a dark night than a bright one. The benefits of dark-sky friendly lighting clearly outweigh the costs of light pollution, and the world should start paying attention how flipping the switch is affecting our earth.
This entry was posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 pm and is filed under Light Pollution, Outdoor Lighting, Starry Night Lights, sea turtle friendly lighting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
5 Responses to “The Effects of Light Pollution on the Animal Kingdom”
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September 24th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Light pollution is an insidious form of pollution that does not just annoy astronomers. The astronomers were like the caged canaries that were once used in mines to detect carbon monoxide and methane. Because they were affected by it they were the first to complain. But light pollution does not just affect the night skies, as this excellent web-site has demonstrated. In 1994 I pointed out that lighting world-wide has been sweeping up insects for decades, and that being the case, it would have a concomitant effect on higher order consumers such as birds, bats, other small mammals, spiders, reptiles and amphibians. It also affects plants, as there will be fewer insects to pollinate them, and that this will amplify the already deteriorating positive feedback cycle by providing even less food for the insects to feed on. Environmental organisations are now telling us that there have been major declines in common species over the past forty years that correlate negatively with the expansion of street, security, commercial and decorative lighting over the past forty or fifty years. The connection between the decimation of insects and lighting needs to be recognised by all groups concerned with the environment and they should now vigorously campaign against it. Lighting does not reduce crime, as has been shown in New Zealand and elsewhere, where criminality dropped almost to zero during power cuts. Some lighting, of course, is necessary, but it should be used sparingly, where needed, when needed, and in the correct amounts. It should not to be obtrusive to neighbours and should not to pose a hazard to the environment. Reducing light pollution in the long term, then, will be beneficial to us all, as it will substantially reduce energy wastage, save money and contribute less to global warming and climate change.
September 24th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Colin
Thanks so much for your insightful comments. It is encouraging to hear this… as we’ve been shouting at the top of our lungs about this for some time.
Technically speaking, light pollution is one of the simplest environmental pollutants to address. Simply flip the switch and the problem goes away. Unfortunately, convincing people to do this is a far more complicated issue. Good, environmentally friendly lights have been available for quite some time now… their use is only now starting to grow.
Anthony
November 26th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I have only just become aware of the impact light pollution is having on our wildlife. I have been particularly moved to learn of the effect it is having on our Robin’s. There is a lone one in a tree outside my place of work, and recently as early as 4:3opm he can be heard serenading an ugly old sodium? lamp, which is one of many lighting up a pathway. I find it really sad,he must be absolutely exhausted & hungry (as I have also learned) his food source is also affected by the light. I know this comment is maybe in a more sentimental light than your usual (forgive the pun), but it his plight that has made me want to help in some way. We need to keep little songbirds like him singing @ Dawns Break not at night time. I will see if I can get the lamp which is directly opposite his tree switched off, but I know I will be swamped with Health & safety issues, but I will try. Heres hoping. Concerned City Dweller
November 27th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Lorraine
The fight against bad lighting will be a long one fought on many fields. If you’re able to address this one situation, you have helped the cause move forward.
As a thought… if your ‘health and safety’ folks are adamant (and they likely will), you might suggest that this fixture (or all the fixtures at your site) be retrofitted with shades. This will force the light down onto the ground, where its needed and keep it out of your song birds tree and out of the night sky.
Lights should not shine up.. .EVER! This is a complete and utter waste of money and energy.
Good luck in your efforts.
Anthony
May 14th, 2008 at 5:29 am
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