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Denmark Just Switched to Red Streetlights to Solve an Urban Crisis Most Modern Cities Still Ignore
Reports note that Gladsaxe replaced its standard white LED fixtures with specialized red LED streetlights along Frederiksborgvej. The installation was strategically placed near a known bat colony to mitigate the impact of artificial light on the nocturnal ecosystem. By shifting the wavelength of the light, the city sought to maintain essential road safety for drivers while protecting the natural behaviors of local wildlife.
The project identified the common pipistrelleand the brown long-eared bat as the primary species targeted by this conservation effort. These animals rely on specific dark corridors for navigating between their roosting sites and their feeding grounds. When traditional white light spills into these areas, it can create “light barriers” that the bats are often unwilling to cross, effectively shrinking their available habitat.
