Madeira and Porto Santo asked to switch off outdoor lights for three hours to protect young seabirds

On Friday 30 October, between 8pm and 11pm, residents, businesses and institutions in Madeira and Porto Santo are asked to turn off unnecessary outdoor lighting. The voluntary 'Mega Apagão' is run by SPEA-BirdLife, not a power cut. Artificial light disorients young Cory's shearwaters making their first flights to sea, drawing them towards built-up areas, where they risk collisions and falls. The municipalities of Funchal, Santa Cruz, Câmara de Lobos and Machico, several hotels and Madeira Airport intend to take part. Rescue campaigns continue until 5 November, and the effort belongs to the EU-co-funded LIFE Natura@night project.