WATCH: Tiny turtles crushed, lost as lights shine on popular beach

Bright lights in a growing Qld seaside town are causing turtle tragedies as tiny hatchlings march the wrong way into traffic and suburbia, a wildlife group says. SEE VIDEO.

The number of turtles getting lost or killed by cars after struggling to find their way to the ocean has sparked concerns over the impact of light pollution on the Bundaberg region’s nesting beaches.

Julia Sands-Wyeth recently shared two videos on social media with one showing a disoriented turtle hatchling on a road another of her placing it safely back into the ocean.

The post was captioned “Someone was a little lost! Esplanade, Woodgate,” was later shared in the Innes Park and Coral Cove Facebookers group by the Sea Turtle Alliance, a local volunteer organisation dedicated to turtle conservation.

According to the group, the little loggerhead hatchling was one of the lucky ones.

Julia Sands-Wyeth recently shared photos on social media of a baby turtle hatchling that was found on the Esplanade at Woodgate Beach.

The Sea Turtle Alliance reported several other hatchlings from the same clutch were tragically run over by cars after being drawn away from the ocean by artificial lights.

Sea turtles rely on natural light cues (like the moon) to navigate from their nests to the ocean and bright artificial lights from homes, businesses, and streetlights can disorient the hatchlings, leading them away from the water and into dangerous areas like roads where they are vulnerable to predators and cars.

The Sea Turtle Alliance is urging residents and businesses to take action to reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting, especially during turtle nesting season from mid-October to April.

“We need dark beaches,” the organisation said in a statement.

“Turtles can’t change their behaviour towards light, so it’s up to us to help maximise nesting success and hatchling survival.”

Julia Sands-Wyeth shared two videos on social media, with one showing a disoriented turtle on the road.

The Sea Turtle Alliance has outlined several steps that residents and visitors can take to help protect hatchling by turning off unnecessary outdoor lights at night, closing curtains and blinds to minimise indoor light leakage, using motion sensor lights instead of continuous outdoor lighting, angling lights away from the beach, shading lights to reduce illuminated areas when camping, and using small torches under three volts on the beach.

Additionally, they encouraged people to support conservation efforts by disposing of rubbish properly, avoiding plastic waste, and protecting beach vegetation that helps stabilise the coastline.

With Bundaberg’s beaches being critical nesting grounds for endangered loggerhead turtles and other species, conservation groups are calling for increased awareness and proactive measures to ensure hatchlings make it safely to the ocean.

The other video that Julia Sands-Wyeth shared was of her placing the hatchling safely back into the ocean.

“This isn’t just about one incident. Every year, we lose hatchlings due to light pollution, vehicle traffic, and human impact,” the Sea Turtle Alliance said on the post.

“But with simple changes, we can all make a difference.”

Residents and visitors are encouraged to report any stranded or disoriented hatchlings to local wildlife rescue groups.

Originally published as WATCH: Tiny turtles crushed, lost as lights shine on popular beach