For a billion years, life on Earth has been shaped by the predictable rhythm of light and dark. This pattern is deeply ingrained in the DNA of all life forms, from plants to animals. However, human interference has drastically disrupted this harmony by intensely illuminating the night.
This interruption has significant repercussions. Plants and animals depend on this natural cycle to coordinate a range of vital activities, including reproduction, nutrition, sleep and protection from predators.
Light pollution is emerging as a critical threat to ecosystems, triggering changes in wildlife behavior, hindering the recovery of threatened species, interfering with migration routes and reducing both the reproductive success and survival of these species. In the protected areas of Macaronesia, which encompass places like Madeira, the Azores and the Canary Islands, this threat persists relentlessly.
Although light pollution has its roots in urban areas, its effects extend beyond them, affecting both the areas designated by the Natura 2000 Network and the species that live there.
In this project we are tackling this challenge on two different fronts. Find out more about our efforts and where we are working to mitigate this threat:
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
