Archive · 18 Jan 2026
Denmark Uses Red Lights to Protect Bats
In a suburb near Copenhagen, Denmark, some streetlights are being changed to red instead of the usual white.
This is to help bats, which are affected by bright lights.
The red lights are less disruptive to the bats' movements and help them hunt for food.
The change is only on certain parts of the road, and white lights are still used in areas where people need more visibility, like crosswalks.
This way, the town is trying to keep both people and bats safe.
Gladsaxe municipality is replacing white streetlights with red lighting in selected areas to protect a local bat colony.
Red light is less disruptive to bats' movement, feeding, and navigation compared to white, blue, or green light.
The change is implemented on parts of Frederiksborgvej near Skovbrynet, while warm white lights are used at intersections and pedestrian crossings.
The project aims to balance safety for motorists and cyclists with the need to protect wildlife.
Research from the Netherlands supports the use of red light to minimize disruption to bat behavior.
- Who
- Gladsaxe municipality, Copenhagen, Denmark
- What
- Replacing white streetlights with red lighting to protect bats
- When
- Ongoing experiment (specific start and end dates not mentioned)
- Where
- Frederiksborgvej near Skovbrynet, Gladsaxe, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Why
- To reduce disruption to bat behavior and enhance their ability to hunt insects
- Location
- Gladsaxe, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Project Area
- Frederiksborgvej near Skovbrynet
- Primary Light Color
- Red
- Secondary Light Color
- Warm White (at intersections and pedestrian crossings)
- Purpose
- Reduce harm to wildlife, particularly bats
- Implementation
- Selected parts of the road
- Research Basis
- Studies from the Netherlands on bat behavior