Fifteen miles southwest of Fort Myers, Fl is a sub-tropical barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico named Sanibel Island. A good portion of this small, and very wealthy I might add, island has been preserved as a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling was instrumental in blocking the sale of this portion of Sanibel Island to developers and in 1945 the Sanibel Island NWR was signed into law by President Harry Truman. In 1967 the refuge was renamed J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge to honor the hard work of the person who made this refuge possible.
Florida Defenders of Wildlife update on how refuge managers are preparing for the arrival of oil.
You can donate to the Defenders of Wildlife here.
A birders paradise, the refuge consists of multiple estuary habitats which feed and shelter them, including:
Mud flats = coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. wiki
Sea grass beds = area of the offshore sea-bottom colonised by seagrasses unesco
Brackish ponds = Brackish water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers. wiki
Mangrove forest = Mangroves are defined as tropical trees, shrubs, palms or ground ferns that grow in a tightly knit thicket or forest along tidal estuaries. Mangroves characteristically have exposed, supporting, prop roots that generally exceed 2 feet in height. conservancy
Cordgrass = Group of several wetland plant species common to both brackish and salt estuarine marshes. Smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, is the dominant plant species of the fringing salt marshes of the Gulf Coast. wetmapp
West Indian Hardwood hammocks = Tropical hardwood hammocks occur in south Florida and along the Florida coastlines where danger from frost is rare and tropical trees and shrubs common to the Caribbean islands (West Indian origin) are able to survive. UoSF
This refuge is about a hour and a half drive across Alligator Alley from me and I have visited twice recently. January through March is the best time to see the gorgeous wildlife. I met family there in January of 2007 and was amazed at the abudant wildlife that could be seen. Earlier this month I traveled once again to visit this refuge knowing that it's days were numbered. I wanted to experience the raw wildness and document as much as I could as a memorial to this estuarian paradise. Unfortunately, this time of year shore and wading birds are scarce, but predators and scavengers were there overseeing the water from their perches in the hardwood hammocks. I saw a bald eagle and a osprey (my first sighting), and just a few juvenile wading birds. Unfortunately I do not have the best camera in the world to record such sightings, so I have borrowed images below from the USFWS, others as well as myself. I also will attempt a diary on this same
Refuge aerial view. Credit: Susan White, USFWS
I want the focus of this diary to be on the endangered species of Sanibel Island. I hope to continue to document other parks such as the Everglades, Blowing rocks and others in future diaries.
From: Endangered Species on Sanibel Island
American alligator. The American alligator, once hunted almost to extinction, has become abundant in Florida, but it is listed as threatened because of its resemblance to the crocodile. On Sanibel, alligators can be seen basking in the mangrove swamps and wetlands. They are considered something of a nuisance, and city personnel are authorized to relocate them when they wander into town. The Ding Darling refuge for many years was home to one American crocodile, but the croc died in January 2010.
credit: tringa.org
West Indian manatee. Manatees are marine mammals with seal-shaped bodies, flippers, whiskered muzzles, and paddle-shaped tails. Adult manatees weigh about 1,000 pounds. The West Indian manatee is listed as endangered, and Sanibel is within its federally designated critical habitat.
credit: homosassausa.com
Wood stork. Wood storks are large, long-legged wading birds that nest in the mangroves and wetlands. They eat mostly fish, but sometimes dine on shrimp and crabs, snakes, and even small alligators. They are listed as endangered, and the Sanibel refuge is considered a core foraging area.
Loggerhead sea turtle. Every spring, female loggerhead turtles crawl out of the ocean to nest on the beaches of Sanibel. Commercial fishing, coastal development, and marine pollution have taken a toll on loggerhead populations, and the species is listed as threatened. Two other species of marine turtles, the green turtle and Kemp’s Ridley turtle, both endangered, also occur in the waters around Sanibel, though they are not known to nest on the island.
credit: USDOJ, blog
Eastern indigo snake. This glossy black snake is a threatened species. Suitable habitat occurs throughout Sanibel Island, but the last confirmed sighting in the refuge was in 1999.
credit: snakeducation.com
Piping plover. These small shore birds feed on the wet sands of coastal beaches, tidal flats, and salt marshes. They do not breed in Florida, but Sanibel provides wintering habitat. They are considered threatened throughout their wintering range.
Gopher tortoise. These large land turtles inhabit dry areas and dig burrows for refuge from predators. They feed on grasses, fruits, and flowers. The gopher tortoise is considered threatened in Florida and is thus protected on Sanibel. It is under review for possible listing under the ESA.
credit: unknown
Sanibel island rice rat. This small mammal is listed as a species of special concern in the State of Florida and is protected within the Sanibel refuge.
credit: floridanature.com
Not threatened or endangerd on Sanibel Island is the Horseshoe Crab. This crab holds great medical promise and it's populations are beginning to become depleted. From wiki.
Unlike humans, horseshoe crabs do not have hemoglobin in their blood, but instead use hemocyanin to carry oxygen. Because of the copper present in hemocyanin, their blood is blue. Their blood contains amebocytes, which play a role similar to white blood cells for vertebrates in defending the organism against pathogens. Amebocytes from the blood of L. polyphemus are used to make Limulus amebocyte lysate, which is used for the detection of bacterial endotoxins.
credit: pakalolo