Mangrove Tree Crab

Mangrove Tree Crab

Article and photo by Kyle Sweet, superintendent of The Sanctuary Golf Club

The Mangrove Tree Crab can be found all along the barrier islands of Southwest Florida and may at first glance look like a spider climbing along our native Red, Black and White Mangroves. As crabs go, they are very small, only being an average of an inch across. Their coloration greatly varies from olive green to brown and have very sharp tips on the ends of their legs that allow them to efficiently climb all throughout the trees.  » Read more

Find Your Pawradise

Find Your Pawradise tshirt

Pet lover alert!  Find Your Pawradise may soon become one of your favorite online retailers!

The company is the concept of Liza Clouse and Trasi Sharp, owners of Over Easy Cafe and Island Paws on Sanibel Island. Both Clouse and Sharp are avid dog lovers and owners of three lovable pups.

“We’ve been working on our concept for close to a year,”  » Read more

Red Tide Update

Ocean's Reach Beach

Photo taken outside of Ocean’s Reach on Weds, Aug 16, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.

 

We’ve received numerous phone calls and emails inquiring about the red tide bloom that reached Sanibel Island near the end of July.  This photo was taken mid-afternoon yesterday, showing “Day-10-and-Counting” of a clean beach outside of Ocean’s Reach.  The red tide air irritants have dissipated, and there’s just a hint of fish odor,  » Read more

The American Crocodile

An excerpt from the Naples News; article written by Chad Gillis.

“See you later, alligator. After awhile, crocodile.”

Did you know that there’s only one place in the natural world where that conversation could actually happen?

The historic Everglades is the one place where the crocodile could see the alligator later and the alligator could see the crocodile after awhile.  » Read more

New Marine Lab

After more than two years of anticipation, our friends at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation were excited to recently move into their new marine laboratory.

Built on the bayside of Tarpon Bay Road near Tarpon Bay Explorers, the $1.6 million facility measures 2,800 square feet.

Marine Laboratory Director Eric Milbrandt explained that the new facility will enable SCCF to be more efficient and quicker at what it does,  » Read more

Butterflies Are Free



We’re so appreciative when guests complement us on our landscaping efforts.  We take pride in providing a beautifully natural setting for both guests and wildlife. 

Our grounds feature almost exclusively native plants that serve a dual purpose: not only are they lovely to look at, but they also provide needed habitats for birds and butterflies, as well. 

We recently added a small butterfly enclosure to enhance their chance of survival and provide a safe environment for them to complete their life cycle.   » Read more

Lucky Loo

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Visitor & Education Center

The public restrooms at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Visitor & Education Center on Sanibel Island are in the top 10 list of contestants in the 2018 America’s Best Bathroom® Contest.

Contest host Cintas Corporation this week informed the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) that the refuge’s Learning Lavatories (#LearningLav) restrooms project ranks among the annual contest’s finalists.

Voting for the contest begins Monday,  » Read more

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