Study

Lights On, or Lights Off? Hotel Guests' Response to Nonpersonal Educational Outreach Designed to Protect Nesting Sea Turtles

  • Published source details Mascovich K.A., Larson L.R. & Andrews K.M. (2018) Lights On, or Lights Off? Hotel Guests' Response to Nonpersonal Educational Outreach Designed to Protect Nesting Sea Turtles. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 17, 206-215.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Use education and/or awareness campaigns to improve behaviour towards reptiles and reduce threats

Action Link
Reptile Conservation
  1. Use education and/or awareness campaigns to improve behaviour towards reptiles and reduce threats

    A study in 2015–2016 in one hotel overlooking a sandy beach in Georgia, USA (Mascovich  et al. 2018) found that when information leaflets detailing turtle-friendly behaviours were left in guest rooms, the number of lights visible from beach facing rooms was higher rather than lower in three of six months compared to when no leaflets were provided, and similar in the other three months. When the information leaflet was provided in 2015, light was visible from more rooms in May–July (59–98%), compared to when no leaflet was provided in May–July 2016 (39–64%). There was no significant difference in the number of rooms with visible lights in August–October (with leaflets in 2015: 40–71%; without leaflets in 2016: 50–64%). The information leaflet listed six options for turtle-friendly behaviour, one of which was to close curtains in beach-facing rooms and turn off outdoor lights. In May–October 2015, all guest rooms were provided with an information leaflet, and in May–October 2016 no leaflets were provided. In May–October in 2015–2016, counts of beach-facing rooms with visible lights were conducted three times/week, with surveys starting at 21:00 h. Data from 29 nights in 2015 and 29 in 2016 were included in the analysis.

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