A recent environmental concern has emerged in Cape Verde, where newly installed streetlights in the town of Tantum, on the island of Brava, have led to a tragic rise in seabird fatalities.
Local conservation group Associação Projecto Vitó first raised the alarm after fishermen began discovering an alarming number of dead seabirds along the coastline on March 25. Investigations revealed that four seabird species, including the native Cape Verde Storm Petrel, White-faced Storm Petrel, and Boyd’s Shearwater, as well as the migratory Leach’s Storm Petrel, were affected.
The primary culprit? The replacement of older, yellow-hued streetlights with bright white LED bulbs. These powerful lights disorient seabirds, drawing them into urban areas where they collide with structures or fall victim to feral predators after crash-landing. In just one night, over 150 birds perished.
Despite conservationists formally lodging complaints with local authorities, no corrective action has been taken, and seabird casualties continue to mount. Experts warn that unchecked light pollution poses a severe threat to the region’s seabird colonies, not just on Brava but also on neighboring islands such as Fogo and the Rombo Islets.
Globally, light pollution is recognized as a critical hazard to pelagic seabirds. Conservationists stress the urgent need for environmental impact assessments before making changes to public lighting, particularly in ecologically sensitive coastal zones. With no immediate intervention in sight, the fate of Cape Verde’s seabird population hangs in the balance.
