Who Is J.N. "Ding" Darling?
A pioneering conservationist and Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist of the 1920s to 1940s, Jay Norwood Darling signed his name "Ding."
Friends of "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge
We are a nonprofit that financially supports nature conservation, wildlife protection, and education efforts for J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel and Captiva islands in Southwest Florida.
Visit the Refuge
Hours & Info
Wildlife Drive Hours (Closed Fridays)
7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Visitor & Education Center Hours (Closed Fridays)
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Mailing Address
P.O. Box 565
Sanibel Island, Florida 33957
Stay Connected
Sign up for "Ding" on the Wing email bulletins and receive info about “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society events, news, and recent wildlife sightings.
Featured events
Bald Eagle
Al Hoffacker
Bobcat
Theresa Baldwin
Dunlin
Bob Pelkey
Gray Catbird
Bob Pelkey
American Alligator
Liz Noffsinger
Anhinga
Theresa Baldwin
Black-and-white Warbler
Sylvia Guarino
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Hal Wagle
Black Racer
Al Hoffacker
Gopher Tortoise
Patty MacInnis
Northern Raccoon
Deb Thompson
Marsh Rabbit
Theresa Baldwin
Mottled Duck
Ruth Ann Schwart
Magnificent Frigatebird
France Paulsen
Double-crested Cormorant
Paul Smith
Brown Pelican
James A. FitzSimmons
Great Blue Heron
Jim Bennight
Snowy Egret
Cathy Beckman
Little Blue Heron
Al Hoffacker
Tricolored Heron
Bill Hutt
Reddish Egret
Lillian Stokes
Green Heron
Al Hoffacker
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Ruth Ann Schwart
White Ibis
Theresa Baldwin
Willet
Bob Pelkey
Ruddy Turnstone
Bob Pelkey
Laughing Gull
Bob Pelkey
Eurasian Collard-Dove
Bob Pelkey
Mourning Dove
France Paulsen
Common Ground-Dove
Bob Pelkey
Mangrove Cuckoo
Geri Biggs
Belted Kingfisher
Bob Pelkey
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Jim Hamilton
Pileated Woodpecker
Patricia Dishbrow
Great Crested Flycatcher
Libby Errickson
White-eyed Vireo
Bob Pelkey
Black-whiskered Vireo
Bob Pelkey
Fish Crow
Bob Pelkey
Carolina Wren
Bob Pelkey
Northern Cardinal
Theresa Baldwin
Common Grackle
France Paulsen
Coyote
Ding Darling Trail Camera
River Otter
Paul Brooke
Nine-banded Armadillo
Gail Campbell
Florida Manatee
Frank Brinker
Virginia Opossum
France Paulsen
Yellow Rat Snake
Al Hoffacker
Red Rat Snake/Corn Snake
Sarah Lathrop
Ring-necked Snake
France Paulsen
Florida Banded Water Snake
France Paulsen
Mangrove Salt Marsh Water Snake
Theresa Baldwin
Florida Softshell Turtle
Bob Pelkey
Peninsula Cooter Turtle
J.D. Willson
Diamondback Terrapin
Dick Stilwell
Great Egret
Bob Pelkey
test
Roseate Spoonbill
Jim Lotstein
Black Vulture
Bob Pelkey
Turkey Vulture
Bob Pelkey
Osprey
Al Hoffacker
Swallow-tailed Kite
Bob Pelkey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Bob Pelkey
Killdeer
Carol Herr
Brown Anole Lizard
Bob Pelkey
Green Anole Lizard
Theresa Baldwin
Southern Five-lined Skink
Libby Errickson
Southern Leopard Frog
France Paulsen
Cuban Tree Frog
Steve Johnson
Southern Toad
France Paulsen
Fiddler Crab
Frank Gumpert
Mangrove Tree Crab
Theresa Baldwin
Horseshoe Crab
Patrick Fuller
Lubber Grasshopper
Jacqueline Brodskaya
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly
Cheryl Anderson
Zebra Longwing Butterfly
Theresa Baldwin
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly
Theresa Baldwin
White Peacock Butterfly
Lily Novak
Mangrove Buckeye Butterfly
Arlene Ripley
Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly
Aaron Kirk
Great Southern White Butterfly
France Paulsen
Blue Ceraunus Butterfly
France Paulsen
Mangrove Skipper
Richard Stilwell
Short-tailed Hawk
Bob Pelkey
Barn Swallow
Bob Pelkey
Bottlenose Dolphin
Pig Frog
Gail Campbell
Greater Yellowlegs
Bill Fischer
Pied-billed Grebe
Lillian Stokes
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Bob Pelkey
Northern Parula
Bob Pelkey
Ovenbird
Bob Pelkey
Black-bellied Plover
Bob Pelkey
Palm Warbler
Bob Pelkey
Least Sandpiper
Bob Pelkey
Spotted Sandpiper
France Paulsen
Western Sandpiper
Bob Pelkey
Semipalmated Plover
Bob Pelkey
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bob Pelkey
Florida Box Turtle
France Paulsen
Eastern Phoebe
Bob Pelkey
Lesser Yellowlegs
Bob Pelkey
Yellow-rumped Warbler
France Paulsen
Halloween Pennant Dragonfly
Bob Pelkey
Ring-billed Gull
Bob Pelkey
Chicken Turtle
Dick Brewer
Blue-headed Vireo
Bob Pelkey
Red-breasted Merganser
Jim Bennight
Swainson's Thrush
Diane Doran
Chuck-will's-widow
Robert Strickland
Monarch Butterfly
Cheryl Anderson
Blackpoll Warbler
Janet Kirk
Green Iguana
Sylvia Guarino
Take a Video Journey Through the Refuge.
Who We Are Video
Learn more about the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society
Take a 360 Tour of the Visitor & Education Center!
Click HERE to take 10 different tours.
Thanks to Larry Strange, Jr., for volunteering
his time and skills to make this possible for
Google Maps and other uses.