1.
What is the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
The Ding Darling NWR is one of more than 500 U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S Department of Interior refuges managed within the
United States. Containing more than 6,300 acres of wetlands, islands,
and mangrove forests, the refuge is located on Sanibel Island,
Florida, and on islands in adjacent Pine Island Sound. The purpose
of the refuge is to conserve and protect the native birds and
animals as well as the native vegetation while at the same time
providing public access for specified recreational purposes. BACK
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2.
How did the refuge get the name "’Ding’ Darling"?
J.N. Darling was a political cartoonist for the Des Moines Register
and during the '30's and '40's, maintained a winter home on adjacent
Captiva Island. As a cartoonist he signed his work with an abbreviated
"D'ing," a contraction for his last name, Darling. “Ding,”
an early conservationist, was the driving force to preserve and
protect these fragile barrier islands and their unique wildlife.
In 1934, he designed the first Duck Stamp and then was appointed
as the director of the Bureau of Biological Survey, the predecessor
of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Darling led a movement
that culminated in the creation on December 1, 1945, of the Sanibel
National Wildlife Refuge. On February 4, 1978 the refuge was officially
dedicated as the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife
Refuge in his memory. BACK
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3.
What are the hours for public access to the refuge?
Access to Wildlife Drive, the driving road through the main refuge,
opens a half-hour after sunrise and closes a half-hour before
sunset. During the fall and winter seasons these hours are 7:30
AM to 5:30 PM. The Education Center is open 8 to 4 seven days
a week during the winter season (Jan. 1 - April 30) and 9 to 4
during the off season (May 1 - December 31). Remember, however,
that Wildlife Drive IS CLOSED TO ALL PUBLIC ACCESS ON FRIDAYS!
The Education Center, Indigo Trail, and Tarpon Bay are all open
on Friday. BACK
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4.
What is the entrance fee to the “Ding” Darling NWR?
A fee of $5.00 per car and $1.00 per biker or hiker is required
for entrance to the refuge. Golden Age passports, Golden Access
cards, and Golden Eagle cards are also valid for use in the refuge.
You may also purchase the current year’s Federal Duck Stamp,
on sale in the Education Center, which is accepted for admission
or an annual “Ding” Darling NWR pass. BACK
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5.
Is camping permitted in the refuge?
No. Because the refuge’s 6,300 acres is made up of wetlands
and mangroves, there are no sites for camping and no public facilities
other than those at the Education Center -- no water, rest rooms,
or shelter from the elements. Further, no camping is permitted
on Sanibel Island other than in the Periwinkle Trailer Park, a
commercial establishment located on Periwinkle Way. BACK
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6.
What is there to see at “Ding” Darling?
The J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge protects
native and migratory birds and resident amphibians, reptiles,
and mammals. It is not a "park" with tourist attractions
and exhibits, but rather a refuge where a visitor can see large
numbers of birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat.
During the year, hundreds of migratory birds arrive either to
stop and rest during their journey or to winter here before starting
the long trip back to their breeding grounds. There is a large
resident population of native long-legged wading birds as well
as many alligators and even a resident American Crocodile. Mammals
that may be seen in the refuge include the River Otter, Bobcat,
and the ubiquitous Raccoon.BACK
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7.
Are there hiking trails in the refuge?
The refuge does not lend itself to hiking in the conventional
sense of the word. Because the refuge consists of wetlands and
mangrove forests arising from salt water, there are few areas
for hiking trails to exist. The main trail in the refuge is the
Indigo Trail, a flat sandy trail atop an earthen dike, which runs
from the visitor center to the cross-dike area, a distance of
2 miles one-way. One may also hike Wildlife Drive, the main road
bisecting the refuge for a distance of 4 miles one way. At the
far end of Wildlife Drive, the Shell Mound Trail and Wulfert Keys
Trail may be accessed for short _-mile walks. This walk is upon
a boardwalk and takes the visitor into a upland forest and to
a Calusa Indian mound. BACK
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8.
May we bicycle through the refuge?
Yes. Wildlife Drive winds through the refuge for a distance of
4.5 miles and Indigo Trail has a surface compatible with biking.
Bicycling is encouraged, being environmentally friendly, and permitting
the visitor to more fully enjoy the wildlife viewing. Bike rentals
are available at Tarpon Bay Explorers, the refuge’s concession
operator. BACK
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9.
May we canoe in the refuge?
Yes, in certain designated areas. The waters lying to the right
of Wildlife Drive are open to boating including canoeing and kayaking.
"No motorized boating" zones are clearly marked. Visitors
can paddle marked trails from Tarpon Bay, where a concession rents
kayaks and canoes. No boating of any type is permitted on the
left side of Wildlife Drive throughout the refuge.BACK
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10.
Is fishing permitted in the refuge?
Yes. All applicable Florida fishing laws, including licensing,
are enforced. BACK
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11.
Where can we see alligators?
A large population of the American Alligator inhabits “Ding”
Darling NWR, and the animals often bask along the refuge’s
waterways. However, being reptiles the alligators must maintain
body temperature regulation by external means. Therefore, on hot
days they may submerge themselves into the cooler waters while
on cooler days, they will lie in the sun to raise their body temperature.
The number of alligators to be seen is dependent on the time of
day and outside temperature, but look for them along the cross-dike
area and on the banks of waterways throughout the refuge. BACK
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12.
Are there guided tours through the refuge?
Yes. A guided tram tour lasts about 2 hours and is led by a naturalist.
The refuge also offers guided birding tours, tours of the Shell
Mound Trail with emphasis on Calusa Indian culture, and walks
into the mangrove forest with emphasis on the native flora of
south Florida. Registering at the Education Center for these tours
is recommended. BACK
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13.
What is the best time of day to visit “Ding” Darling
NWR to see birds?
All birds tend to feed at first light. Since the majority of birds
in the refuge feed on fish or marine mollusks, they must have
a certain water depth that permits them to feed. Therefore, the
tide level become very important. If the tide is high, the birds
will seek shallower feeding grounds in more remote parts of the
refuge. Conversely, if the tide is too low, the birds will be
forced to feed much farther out at the edge of the tidal waters,
away from areas where they can be easily seen. The optimum time
for good birding, therefore, would be early morning, about one
hour before or after low tide.(However, due to the abundance of
marine life in the refuge, birding is good throughout the refuge
all day!) Tide charts are available at Tarpon Bay Explorers, in
the local newspaper, and through island bait shops. Add one hour
to the tide times to ascertain refuge tides.
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