TRANSCRIPT:
Hello this is Dr. Tom Mullikin with SCDNR for Into the Wild.
Walking a South Carolina beach early in the morning, you may find wide tracks leading from the ocean to the dunes. Those tracks can mark the place where a loggerhead sea turtle came ashore to nest.
Weeks later, the hatchlings usually emerge at night. They are naturally drawn toward the brighter, open horizon over the ocean. Artificial lights from homes, hotels, flashlights, and streets can pull them in the wrong direction, costing them time and energy when they are most vulnerable.
A simple choice can make a real difference: turn off beach-facing lights, close curtains, and keep unnecessary light off the sand. The beach belongs to all of us, but on a summer night, darkness may be exactly what a young sea turtle needs to find its way home.