J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

              U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

J.N. “Ding” Darling

National Wildlife Refuge

The J. N. “Ding” Darling National

Wildlife Refuge is located on the

subtropical barrier island of Sanibel

in the Gulf of Mexico. The refuge is

part of the largest undeveloped

mangrove ecosystem in the United

States. It is world famous for its

spectacular wading bird

populations. J. N. “Ding” Darling is

one of over 500 refuges in the

National Wildlife Refuge System,

and is managed by the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service.

This blue goose,

designed by Mr.

“Ding” Darling,

has become a

symbol of the

Refuge System.

Cover photo:

roseate spoonbill by

Charlie Heidecker ©

Photo at left:

Steve Alvarez

In times gone by.....

What began as a sandbar is now

Sanibel, a barrier island fringed with

mangrove trees, shallow bays, and

white sandy beaches located off the

southwest coast of Florida.

For over 2,000 years the Calusa

Indians made the lush island, with its

ready source of food from the sea,

their home. By the mid-1800’s,

European settlers arrived and soon

displaced the Calusa tribe.

For years the island was mainly used

by farmers until a fierce hurricane in

1926 destroyed the agriculture

industry. Construction of the Sanibel

Causeway in 1963 opened the way

for tourism on the island.

The J. N. “Ding”

Darling

National

Wildlife Refuge

Established in

1945 as the

Sanibel National

Wildlife Refuge,

the refuge was

renamed in 1967

in honor of

pioneer conservationist Jay

Norwood “Ding” Darling. The

refuge consists of over 6,300 acres of

mangrove forest, cordgrass marshes,

and West Indian hardwood

hammocks. Approximately 2,800

acres of the refuge are federally

designated as Wilderness Area.

The refuge was created to safeguard

and enhance the pristine wildlife

habitat of Sanibel Island, to protect

endangered and threatened species,

and to provide feeding, nesting and

roosting areas for migratory birds.

Today, the J. N. “Ding” Darling

National Wildlife Refuge provides

important habitat to over 170 species

of birds.

Charlie Heidecker © Steve Alvarez

red-shouldered hawk

First Duck

Stamp designed

by “Ding”

Darling in 1934

“Ding” Darling Society

“Ding” Darling,

the Famous Cartoonist and

Wildlife Conservationist

Born in Norwood, Michigan to the

Reverend Marcellus and Clara

Darling, Jay Norwood Darling was

to become one of the most well

known men of his era. A nationally

syndicated editorial cartoonist, he

was famous for his witty

commentary on the many different

subjects that concerned the nation.

An affable,

dynamic, and

talented man,

Darling began

his cartooning

career in 1900

with the Sioux

City Journal.

After joining the

Des Moines

Register as a

cartoonist in

1906, he began signing his cartoons

with the nickname “Ding” — derived

by combining the first initial of his

name with the last three letters.

In 1924, “Ding” was honored with a

Pulitzer Prize for one of his cartoons

that espoused hard work. He would

again win this prestigious award in

1942. An avid hunter and fisherman,

Mr. Darling became alarmed at the

loss of wildlife habitat and the

possible extinction of many species.

Concerned about wildlife

conservation, he worked this theme

into his cartoons.

In July 1934,

President

Franklin D.

Roosevelt

appointed

“Ding”

Darling as the

Director of the

U.S. Biological

Survey, the

Original design of Blue Goose Sign

by “Ding” Darling

forerunner of

the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife

Service. While

Director,

Darling

initiated the

Federal Duck

Stamp

Program,

designed the

first duck

stamp, and

vastly

increased the

acreage of the

National

Wildlife Refuge

System.

With the passage of the Migratory

Bird Hunting Act, all waterfowl

hunters 16 years and older are

required by law to purchase a

Federal Duck Stamp. Proceeds from

the sales of these stamps are used to

purchase wetlands for the protection

of wildlife habitat. Since 1934, over

$500 million in funds have been

raised and more than 4.5 million

acres of habitat have been purchased

for wildlife.

Darling also designed the Blue

Goose logo, the national symbol of

the refuge system. Rachel Carson,

author of Silent Spring, scientist and

chief editor for the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service from 1932- 52, wrote

of the emblem “Wherever you meet

this sign, respect it. It means that

the land behind the sign has been

dedicated by the American people to

preserving, for themselves and their

children, as much of our native

wildlife as can be retained along with

our modern civilization.”

Tribute to

Teddy Roosevelt

Left: decaying

mangrove leaves

form the basis of the

food chain, photo:

USFWS

American crocodile

Bob Lindholm ©

Mangrove Ecosystem

Approximately half of the J. N.

“Ding” Darling Refuge is mangrove

estuary. Three species of trees

dominate this subtropical forest and

are specially adapted to grow in this

salty, swampy environment. The red

mangrove is the most common and

distinctive mangrove in the refuge.

The twisted, tangled roots of the red

mangrove give credence to the claim,

“the tree that walks.” Large dart-shaped

seedlings called propagules

can often be seen hanging from the

branches of this tree.

The black

mangrove

thrives a little

further ashore

than the red

mangrove. The

black mangroves

breathe through

specialized roots

called

pneumatophores which thrust

upwards through black marshy soil.

Further from the water’s edge is the

white mangrove. These trees excrete

salt from pores in their leaves.

Mangroves play a vital role in the food

chain of this marine environment.

Microorganisms thriving on the

decaying leaves of mangroves become

food for animals such as shrimp,

crabs, snails and worms. Rich in

marine life these shallow waters

attract thousands of small fish which

are preyed upon by the numerous

wading birds of the refuge.

The distinctive roots of the

mangrove tree serve as nursery

areas for many fish species such as

mullet, snook, and snapper, and

provide shelter for numerous marine

organisms. The roots also serve to

stabilize sediments and to provide

coastal protection against erosion

and storm damage.

white ibis

Charlie Heidecker ©

J. Charles McCullough

Uplands and Interior Wetlands

Elevated above the level of the

adjacent swamp, unique plant

communities have evolved within the

island interior. These vegetative

communities create an array of

diverse habitats which attract a wide

variety of wildlife.

The sand and shell ridges of the

island provide relatively high and

dry ground and are dominated by

sea grapes and cabbage palms.

Plants such as saw palmetto, wild

coffee, and Jamaica caper form the

undergrowth of this woodland

environment. Tracts of hardwood

hammocks vegetated by gumbo

limbo, strangler fig, mastics, and

other tropical trees are protected in

the refuge and contain some of the

rarest plants and animals in the

United States.

The uplands are extremely

important to migrating songbirds.

Charlie Heidecker ©

pileated woodpecker

pig frog

Jason Seitz

The abundant seeds, berries, and

insects found in this forest habitat

provide essential energy for their

long migratory journey. The forest

canopy offers the birds protection

from predators and severe weather.

Other woodland animals include

gopher tortoises, bobcats, racoons,

and reptiles, such as the green anole,

coral snake and the extremely rare

indigo snake.

Situated among

the low lying

areas of the

island, freshwater

to brackish

wetlands are

heavily vegetated

with cordgrass,

leather ferns, and

sedges. The freshwater cordgrass

marshes are unusual on barrier

islands and provide a haven for

wildlife species. Alligators, river

otters, turtles, and frogs are

commonly found in this habitat.

Management of the upland and

wetland areas is primarily done to

maintain and restore native plants.

Two types of management

techniques are regularly used to

improve wildlife habitat on the

refuge.

Prescribed burns are used to

maintain a variety of plant

communities, mimic natural fire

cycles, and reduce devastating fire

conditions. Fires help wildlife by

enhancing new plant growth,

eliminating thick undergrowth, and

controlling non-native plants.

The refuge staff chemically treats

hundreds of acres of invasive non-native

plants such as Brazilian

pepper and Australian pine. These

pest species can quickly out-compete

native plants and degrade important

wildlife habitat.

Gulf Fritillary

Roger Exline

gopher tortoise

Charlie Heidecker ©

yellow rat snake

Chris Scott ©

South Florida Ecosystem

Agriculture and development have

destroyed or degraded millions of

acres of unique South Florida

environments. Restoration of the

South Florida ecosystem, including

the Everglades, has become one of

the largest coordinated conservation

efforts in the history of the United

States. Private organizations, local,

state and federal governments are

working together to restore this

fragile environment.

The health of

J.N. “Ding”

Darling

National

Wildlife

Refuge and

its estuarine

environment

is dependent

on the health

of the

Everglades

watershed, which encompasses the

Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee,

and the Caloosahatchee River.

Artificially regulated freshwater

releases from the Caloosahatchee

directly affect the refuge and its

water quality. Too much freshwater

(or too little), at the wrong time, can

disrupt the fragile estuarine

ecosystem and its dependent wildlife.

South Florida Endangered Species

National Wildlife Refuges in South

Florida provide protected natural

areas for many endangered species.

Because of its subtropical climate

and diverse plant communities,

South Florida has some of the rarest

and most fascinating endangered

plants and animals found in the

United States. Nowhere else in the

United States can you see American

crocodiles and West Indian manatees

in the wild.

Charlie Heidecker ©

On Sanibel, giant endangered sea

turtles crawl on to pristine beaches

to deposit eggs. Wood storks, with

their large unusual beaks, can be

seen feeding in the shallow waters

along Wildlife Drive. Bald eagles

soar above the open waters of

the estuary, hunting for fish,

while peregrine falcons are

occasionally spotted during

the winter diving into a flock

of shorebirds.

A strong Federal

Endangered Species Act has

played a vital role in

protecting wildlife faced with

extinction. Because of this

effective legislation, and the

protection provided by

National Wildlife Refuges,

several endangered species’

populations have recovered,

including the bald eagle and

the American alligator.

Patrick M. Rose ©

Photos, from top to

bottom:

West Indian manatee,

roseate spoonbill,

bald eagle, wood

stork

bird photos: Charlie Heidecker ©

Wildlife Drive

The most popular place to view

wildlife on the refuge is Wildlife

Drive. This 5-mile, one-way, unpaved

road leads you through the heart of a

mangrove forest. While on Wildlife

Drive, you will begin to appreciate

why Mr. Darling wanted to protect

this fragile and fascinating

environment. Today, over 600,000

visitors travel Wildlife Drive annually.

The visitor can access Wildlife Drive

by vehicle, guided tram, bicycle, or

on foot. An entrance fee of $5.00 per

vehicle (or $1 per pedestrian/

bicyclist) is required. Those visitors

carrying a Federal Duck Stamp,

Golden Age, Golden Eagle, and/or

Golden Access Card are not required

to pay the entrance fee. There are

no restrooms or drinking facilities

on the drive.

The best time to observe wildlife is

early morning or evening, near or at

low tide. November through April

are the optimum months for bird

viewing on the refuge. Water, insect

repellant, and binoculars are

recommended for the tour.

Occasionally,

alligators or

crocodiles can be

seen basking

along the water’s

edge. These

large, but quick

and agile

reptiles, prefer

the brackish to

freshwater areas

on the left side of the drive. For your

own safety, please do not approach or

feed alligators or crocodiles. These

animals are wild and can be

extremely dangerous. Feeding of

alligators and crocodiles is illegal,

and violators will be prosecuted.

Bob Lindholm ©

American alligators

Recreational Opportunities

n guided tram service

n nature trail

n hiking

n kayak/canoeing

n fishing

n crabbing

n birdwatching

n photography

n biking

n auto tour route

Refuge Concessionaires

Tarpon Bay Recreation

941/472 8900

900 Tarpon Bay Road

Sanibel Island, FL 33957

Mangrove Fishing Adventures

941/395 9647

P.O. Box 1712

Sanibel Island, FL 33957

Canoe Adventures

941/472 5218

Refuge Natural History Association

“Ding” Darling Wildlife Society

941/472 1840

1 Wildlife Drive

Sanibel, FL 33957

bird photos: Charlie Heidecker © Charlie Heidecker ©

Top to bottom:

reddish egret,

American anhinga,

black-necked stilt

J.N. “Ding” Darling

National Wildlife Refuge

1 Wildlife Drive

Sanibel, Florida 33957

941/472 1100

R4RW_FL.JND@mail.FWS/GOV

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

http://www.fws.gov/~r4eao

December 1998

U.S.

FISH & WILDLIFE

SERVICE

DEPARTMENT O F THE INTERIOR