Australia urged to make eerie change to streets to solve ‘enormous’ nighttime problem

The Shift Toward “Wildlife-Friendly” Urban Lighting

For decades, the goal of urban planning was simple: maximize visibility for human safety. This led to the ubiquity of bright white streetlights in cities across Australia and the globe. However, we are now recognizing that this “eternal sunshine” comes at a significant cost to the natural world.

Artificial night lighting is increasingly viewed as a hidden contributor to habitat loss. Due to the fact that animals and plants are genetically adapted to regular day, night, and seasonal cycles, the sudden surge of electricity over the last century has left many species struggling to adapt.

The trend is now shifting toward “wildlife-friendly” lighting—a move from harsh white lights to specific spectrums that allow nocturnal creatures to coexist with urban sprawl.

Why Red and Amber Lights are Game-Changers

The effectiveness of red and amber lighting lies in the biology of vision. Many nocturnal animals primarily rely on rod vision. Long-wavelength lights—such as ambers and reds—actually appear dimmer to these animals, making the environment feel more natural.

When cities filter white light through red lenses, it reduces the disorientation of wildlife. Many nocturnal species do not perceive the color red well, which allows them to continue essential behaviors like foraging and hunting without the stress of artificial glare.

This is particularly critical for species that use the moon for navigation. Without these adjustments, the results can be fatal. For example, in Queensland, sea turtle hatchlings have been known to head toward street lights instead of the moonlit ocean.

Protecting the Night Sky

Beyond specific colors, the broader trend is toward minimizing light intensity and keeping fixtures close to the ground. This prevents “sky glow” and reduces the risk of migratory birds being thrown off course by spotlights shining into the sky—a problem that previously forced authorities in Victoria to let a busy bridge move dark to protect disoriented birds.

Global Precedents: From Europe to Australia

Australia is not alone in this transition. Several European countries have already implemented red-light corridors to protect biodiversity:

• The Netherlands: Following a study by its Institute of Ecology, the Netherlands began using red lighting after finding that bats remained equally active in red light and darkness, whereas white and green lights substantially reduced their activity.
• Denmark: Near Copenhagen, a 700-metre stretch of road was colored red specifically to protect several colonies of bats.
• United Kingdom: Similar wildlife-friendly lighting changes were implemented in Worcestershire.

In Australia, experts like Evan Quartermain of Humane World for Animals suggest that adopting low-intensity amber lights is a vital step in limiting the impact of urban lighting on native species.

The Broader Ecosystem Impact

While bats and turtles are the most cited examples, light pollution creates a ripple effect across the entire food chain. The disruption of the dark is a form of “pervasive, long-term stress” on ecosystems ranging from urban waterways to farmlands.

Research indicates that artificial lighting causes a variety of biological disruptions:

• Insects: Moths may stop mating, while other insects are attracted to lights and become easy prey or die of exhaustion.
• Plants: Trees may hold onto their leaves longer than they should, and some plants reduce their flowering.
• Aquatic Life: Zooplankton may cease rising to lake surfaces to eat algae, disrupting the aquatic nutrient cycle.
• Birds and Amphibians: Songbirds may sing earlier, and salamanders may sleep later, throwing their life cycles out of sync.

For urban-dwelling species, such as the southern bent-wing, eastern bent-wing, and eastern horseshoe cave bats in Victoria, these lighting changes are a necessary addition to efforts to combat habitat clearing and urban sprawl.

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