Wildlife Lighting Criteria
In order to meet the criteria for Wildlife Lighting, a fixture or lamp must meet all three criteria:
Keep it LOW
Mount fixtures as low as possible. Low mounted fixtures provide more light directly on the ground where it is needed for human safety. This also reduces the potential of the light source or lamp from being directly visible.
Use the lowest wattage or lumen output necessary for the needed purpose.
Keep it LONG
Use long wavelength (greater than 560 nm AND absent wavelengths below 560 nm) light sources such as amber, orange, or red LEDs without the use of filters, gels, or lenses. Using long wavelength light sources is less disruptive to marine turtles than white or multi-colored lights.
Short wavelength light sources, PC Ambers, RGBs, dual lighting boards, and color change options are not acceptable.
Keep it SHIELDED
The fixture must meet or exceed full cutoff. This is defined as no light emitting above a 90-degree plane.
The fixture must be shielded so that the lamp or glowing lens is not directly visible.
For more information, please see the FWC's Sea Turtle Lighting Guidelines.
