When University of Tasmania staff members and Antarctic science alumni Drs Chloe Bibari and Leslie Watson noticed a dead short-tailed shearwater outside the Centenary Building on the Sandy Bay Campus last year, they were quick to identify the cause. Pleasingly, with the prompt help of Campus Services, they were also quick to come up with a solution.
Every year, between April and May, fledging shearwaters (also known as muttonbirds or moonbirds) migrate in their millions from Tasmania to the Arctic. It’s a gruelling journey, which can be cut short if the birds are blinded by bright lights and collide with structures on land.
This is indeed what happened last year when Chloe (PhD 2012) and Leslie (BAntStud Hons 2007, PhD 2017) believe the shearwater collided with a window illuminated by nearby floodlights.
The deceased bird was shown to Dr Heidi Auman (PhD 2008), a seabird ecologist with 35 years’ experience and a fellow alumna, who provided crucial information on the species and age of the carcass, as well as confirming the strike pattern left on the building's window.
The group of researchers – part of the University’s Easy Being Green team – then requested campus services turn off floodlights until May 10 to prevent further deaths, aligning with the short-tailed shearwater migration calendar.
In a quick response, the floodlights were turned off during the migration window, and, instead, wildlife-safe red lights are being used.
“Red lights have a longer wavelength and impact fewer animals,” Heidi said.
This is the second year the strategy has been in place, and, so far, it has been a success. The researchers hope the move inspires others. Such initiatives are in line with a federal government light pollution campaign to try to reduce seabird strikes.
Heidi says the nearest colonies to Hobart are at Clifton Beach and Bruny Island.
She is keen to spread the word about human impacts on seabirds – in this case, turning off bright lights to help the fledglings on their first migration. Reducing light pollution will also help other seabirds to avoid collisions.
“It’s like us being blinded by car headlights,” Heidi said.
“This project grows from the idea that every one of us plays a role in protecting our planet.
“This initiative has not only reduced light pollution on the University’s Sandy Bay campus, but also decreased the risk of death or injury for migrating shearwaters and other protected birds,” the team said.
“It was a group effort.
“We see this as a win for wildlife!”
First published in Alumni and Friends eNews.
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Image top right: Dr Heidi Auman in a field of albatross on Midway Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean