Teenagers Rescue 73 Sea Turtle Hatchlings from Artificial Lights on Netanya Beach

Seventy-three newly hatched loggerhead sea turtles were saved from certain death on Poleg Beach in Netanya after being disoriented by artificial lights from a nearby amusement park. Instead of heading towards the sea, the hatchlings were drawn away from the water by the bright lights, which interfered with their natural navigation system that relies on moonlight and starlight reflecting off the water's surface. A group of Israeli teenagers on the beach noticed the turtles heading in the wrong direction and contacted the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. A volunteer from the sea turtle rescue project, along with his family, arrived at the scene. Together with the teenagers, they located all 73 hatchlings and safely guided them to the sea. The Nature and Parks Authority thanked the teenagers for their attentiveness, highlighting the danger posed by light pollution and the importance of human awareness. The authority also noted that dozens of volunteers patrol Israeli beaches annually during sea turtle nesting season to find nests and move them to protected areas to increase survival rates. This incident saw the hatchlings receive direct human assistance to find their way home.