Data

Artificial light on water attracts turtle hatchlings during their nearshore transit, Western Australia

Name: Artificial light on water attracts turtle hatchlings during their nearshore transit, Western Australia
Published: 2026

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]

ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0503d5ff-d0f4-490d-ba6d-1c0d225b8996&rft.title=Artificial light on water attracts turtle hatchlings during their nearshore transit, Western Australia&rft.identifier=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0503d5ff-d0f4-490d-ba6d-1c0d225b8996&rft.publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)&rft.description=Examined the effect of artificial light on the nearshore trajectories of turtle hatchlings dispersing from natal beaches. Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings were tagged with miniature acoustic transmitters and their movements tracked within an underwater array of 36 acoustic receivers placed in the nearshore zone. A total of 40 hatchlings were tracked, 20 of which were subjected to artificial light during their transit of the array. At the same time, we measured current speed and direction which were highly variable within and between experimental nights and treatments. Artificial lighting affected hatchling behaviour, with 88% of individual trajectories oriented towards the light and spending, on average, 23% more time in the 2.25ha tracking array (19.5 ± 5 mins) than under ambient light conditions (15.8 ± 5 mins). Current speed had little to no effect on the bearing (angular direction) of the hatchling tracks when artificial light was present, but under ambient conditions, it influenced the bearing of the tracks when current direction was offshore and above speeds of ~32.5 cm s-1. This is the first experimental evidence that wild turtle hatchlings are attracted to artificial light after entering the ocean, a behaviour that is likely to subject them to greater risk of predation. The experimental protocol described in this study can be used to assess the effect of anthropogenic (light pollution, noise etc.) and natural (wave action, current, wind, moonlight) influences on the in-water movements of sea turtle hatchlings during the early phase of dispersal.Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded&rft.creator=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) &rft.date=2026&rft.coverage=westlimit=114.06796574592592; southlimit=-21.828536303106052; eastlimit=114.06796574592592; northlimit=-21.828536303106052&rft.coverage=westlimit=114.06796574592592; southlimit=-21.828536303106052; eastlimit=114.06796574592592; northlimit=-21.828536303106052&rft_rights=Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/au/&rft_rights=Use Limitation: All AIMS data, products and services are provided as is and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.&rft_rights=Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2016). Artificial light on water attracts turtle hatchlings during their nearshore transit, Western Australia. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0503d5ff-d0f4-490d-ba6d-1c0d225b8996, accessed[date-of-access].&rft_rights=Resource Usage:Data from this publication is available upon request from the Australian Institute of Marine Science Data Centre Manager.Security classification code: unclassifiedMetadata Usage:Access Constraint: intellectualPropertyRightsUse Constraint: intellectualPropertyRightsSecurity classification code: unclassified&rft_subject=oceans&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/au/

Use Limitation: All AIMS data, products and services are provided "as is" and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.

Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: "Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2016). Artificial light on water attracts turtle hatchlings during their nearshore transit, Western Australia. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0503d5ff-d0f4-490d-ba6d-1c0d225b8996, accessed[date-of-access]".

Resource Usage:Data from this publication is available upon request from the Australian Institute of Marine Science Data Centre Manager.Security classification code: unclassifiedMetadata Usage:Access Constraint: intellectualPropertyRightsUse Constraint: intellectualPropertyRightsSecurity classification code: unclassified

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Examined the effect of artificial light on the nearshore trajectories of turtle hatchlings dispersing from natal beaches. Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings were tagged with miniature acoustic transmitters and their movements tracked within an underwater array of 36 acoustic receivers placed in the nearshore zone. A total of 40 hatchlings were tracked, 20 of which were subjected to artificial light during their transit of the array. At the same time, we measured current speed and direction which were highly variable within and between experimental nights and treatments. Artificial lighting affected hatchling behaviour, with 88% of individual trajectories oriented towards the light and spending, on average, 23% more time in the 2.25ha tracking array (19.5 ± 5 mins) than under ambient light conditions (15.8 ± 5 mins). Current speed had little to no effect on the bearing (angular direction) of the hatchling tracks when artificial light was present, but under ambient conditions, it influenced the bearing of the tracks when current direction was offshore and above speeds of ~32.5 cm s-1.
This is the first experimental evidence that wild turtle hatchlings are attracted to artificial light after entering the ocean, a behaviour that is likely to subject them to greater risk of predation. The experimental protocol described in this study can be used to assess the effect of anthropogenic (light pollution, noise etc.) and natural (wave action, current, wind, moonlight) influences on the in-water movements of sea turtle hatchlings during the early phase of dispersal.

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Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded

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Credit
Thums, M (Author)

Modified: 18 09 2026

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text: westlimit=114.06796574592592; southlimit=-21.828536303106052; eastlimit=114.06796574592592; northlimit=-21.828536303106052

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oceans |

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Other Information

Thums M, Whiting SD, Reisser J, Pendoley KL, Pattiaratchi CB, Proietti M, Hetzel Y, Fisher R, Meekan MG (2016) Artificial light on water attracts turtle hatchlings during their near shore transit. Royal Society Open Science 3: 160142 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160142

local : 11068/12420

Identifiers

global : 0503d5ff-d0f4-490d-ba6d-1c0d225b8996