Based on reporting by Good News Network.

Corvo Island, part of the Portuguese Azores, has implemented a community initiative to protect vulnerable seabird species, particularly Cory’s Shearwater. Each autumn, the island experiences blackouts during the last five nights of October, where public lighting is turned off from 9:00 PM to 4:00 AM.

This blackout is crucial as it coincides with the time when young seabirds leave their nests and head out to sea. The lights from towns can disorient these fledglings, leading them to become grounded instead of safely reaching the ocean.

The Azores archipelago is vital for the breeding of Cory’s Shearwater, hosting approximately 65% to 75% of the global breeding population of this species. The initiative has been in place since 2017, with the local municipality recognizing the detrimental effects of light pollution on these birds.

Since the start of this campaign, over 30,000 fledgling Cory’s Shearwaters have been rescued across the Azores, with around 6,000 of those rescues occurring on Corvo Island alone. This effort is supported by the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) and local volunteers.

The success of this initiative has garnered unanimous support from the community, highlighting the importance of collective action in wildlife conservation. Other regions, such as Madeira, are also adopting similar measures to mitigate the impact of artificial lighting on seabirds.

Source: Good News Network. Source published 2026-11-02.