In Georgia's coastal haven of Little St. Simons Island, baby loggerhead sea turtles are turning their backs on the ocean - not by choice, but because they're blinded by artificial lights. Conservationists are sounding the alarm: the towering high-mast lights near I-95's Exit 42 in Brunswick are luring hatchlings inland, where they face exhaustion, predation, and death.

The lights - part of the state's traffic safety infrastructure and now glaring down near the newly opened Buc-ee's travel center - are contributing to a growing crisis for one of Georgia's most iconic marine species.

Hatchlings Head Inland, Not Out to Sea

Under natural conditions, moonlight gently guides newly hatched loggerheads from sandy nests to the ocean. But this summer, that instinct is being overridden. Bright, unshielded lights from interstate infrastructure are misorienting the turtles - a phenomenon known as "light-induced misorientation."

"Instead of heading toward the sea, they're crawling miles inland," said Scott Coleman, ecological manager of Little St. Simons Island. Many never make it to the water, falling prey to predators or dying of exhaustion.

Conservationists: This Isn't New - It's Worse

Loggerheads are the only sea turtle species that regularly nest on Georgia's barrier islands. These islands - including St. Simons, Jekyll, Sapelo, and Little St. Simons - have long dealt with artificial light interfering with hatchling orientation. But the problem is now intensifying.

The culprit? A once-dark stretch of I-95 now flooded with high-mast lighting at Exit 42. Though the Buc-ee's location is not responsible for the lights, their proximity has become a flashpoint in Georgia's ongoing turtle crisis.

"It's more than sky glow," said Catherine Ridley, VP of education and communication at the nonprofit One Hundred Miles. "You can see the actual bulbs shining directly onto the nesting beach." The result is a sea turtle population increasingly cut off from the sea.

Data Shows Alarming Trend

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 11% of turtle nests on Little St. Simons Island had more than 10 misoriented hatchlings in 2024. With each nest producing around 120 hatchlings, the scale of disruption is stark.

Adult females are affected too. "Brightly lit beaches can deter females from nesting altogether," said Coleman, reducing safe habitat options and impacting future generations.

Local Government, Federal Tension

The lights predate Buc-ee's and are maintained by the Glynn County Public Works Department for traffic safety. But emails obtained by conservationists show that Georgia's DOT and local agencies discussed turning the lights off after nearby streetlights were installed. Despite this, the high-mast lights remain active, except during maintenance.

Officials argue the lighting is critical for motorists, and no county ordinance has been violated. Meanwhile, the Georgia Department of Transportation is exploring alternative systems, though changes won't come soon enough for this hatching season.

Calls for Immediate Action

Conservation groups are calling for short-term interventions - including shielding lights to direct beams downward or dimming them at night. "Even temporary fixes could dramatically lower risks," Ridley urged.

She emphasized the cultural significance of the turtles. "People move here, vacation here, hoping to see one. If we're going to put sea turtles on billboards, we need to protect them in real life."

A National Problem with Local Consequences

Artificial light is impacting sea turtles across the Southeast. Florida recorded over 10,000 misorientation events from 2020-2023, and North Carolina reports similar trends. According to the National Park Service, light pollution across the U.S. grew by 9.6% annually from 2011 to 2022 - doubling night sky brightness every eight years.

With the hatching season underway since July 15, the window for action in Georgia is closing fast. "If we lose these turtles, we lose part of what makes this coastline special," Ridley said.