Threatened loggerhead sea turtles nest and hatch across Georgia’s coastal beaches. In this Issue Investigation, we’ll explore how artificial lighting poses a well-documented threat to these turtles, deterring adult females from nesting and misorienting hatchlings, often leading them away from the ocean, toward light sources and into danger.

Despite widespread community support and advances in technology and scientific understanding, Glynn County has failed to implement effective lighting ordinances. Meanwhile, they are currently refusing to fix high-mast lighting along I-95 that is negatively impacting turtles on Sapelo and Little St. Simons Islands. We have the technology, knowledge, and public support needed to out safeguard sea turtles while still protecting public safety and coastal development. Immediate corrective action and ordinance updates are essential to align local policy with conservation best practices and protect loggerhead turtles and many other wildlife species that rely on the Georgia coast.