Talk Title
Development of National Light Pollution
Guidelines for Wildlife in Australia
Abstract
Artificial light at night can disrupt critical behaviours in nocturnal
wildlife. Where this occurs in threatened species, artificial light has the
potential to stall the recovery of a population. Where it occurs in migratory
species, the impact of light may compromise an animal’s ability to undertake
long distance migrations integral to their life cycle.
The Australian Government, in association
with Pendoley Environmental, is developing National
Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife, including Marine Turtles, Seabirds and
Migratory Shorebirds. The Guidelines provide a framework to address the
potential impacts of artificial light to wildlife. They provide best practice
lighting design principles, and a risk assessment and continuous improvement
approach to the management of artificial light near susceptible wildlife. The
guidelines also provide species specific considerations, mitigation
technologies and techniques for marine turtles, seabirds and migratory
shorebirds.
Bio
Dr Arthur is a marine turtle ecologist who has spent more than 10 years working
as a field biologist at the University of Hawaii, the Smithsonian Institute and
the University of Queensland. Dr Arthur now works for the Australian Commonwealth
Department of the Environment and Energy where she develops marine turtle and
dugong policy in the Migratory Species Team. She has contributed to the
development of the Recovery Plan for
Marine Turtles in Australia (2017) and the National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife.