Sanibel Safari: The Big Five and Where to Find Them

The "Big Five" typically refers to the most elusive beasts to track in  Africa:  lions, leopards, elephants, black rhinos, and buffalo -- the must-see animals on an African safari.

Sanibel and Captiva Islands boast acres of nature preserves, protected mangroves, and creatures -- many, many creatures. In my opinion, the Big Five here are manatees, dolphins, alligators, loggerhead sea turtles, and sharks. You may prefer not to see alligators or sharks, but here's where you might catch a glimpse on your next visit over the Causeway.

Jensen's Marina on Captiva Island

Manatees
The best place to see these gentle seacows is paddling through the coves of the Pine Island Sound or from the shore at  Jensen's Marina on Captiva where manatees graze along the docks. Jensen's is a charming place where you can rent bungalows to stay and boats to explore the islands.

Manatees look like darkish blobs in the water, but if you watch carefully, you may be rewarded with a glimpse of a snout or the rounded clip of a tail.

What most photos of manatees look like

You may also spot manatees on a boat tour in Tarpon Bay (Tarpon Bay Explorers) or swimming near Cayo Costa -- rent a pontoon or go with Captiva Cruises. If you're very lucky, you might come face to face with one. Bring your goggles!

Alligators 
Alligators thrive on the island. Don't be lulled by their sluggish lounging-around:  these creatures are fast and deadly. As my mother says, expect an alligator in any body of water in Florida. Heed  Sanibel's warnings about alligators.

If you're planning to play golf, you won't have to look hard for 'gators since they hang out near the ponds and canals, adding extra meaning to the term "water hazards". If a ball lands too close to one . . . take the penalty.

Other places to see alligators include the Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve and along the bike path in the section that runs behind Rabbit Road or that winds near the old cemetery between Algiers and Middle Gulf Drive. If you're near Casa Ybel resort around dusk, take a look at the little island in the middle of the pond that borders the road and you may be rewarded with a glimpse the alligator that rules over the turtles, fish, and other creatures in the area.

Resist the urge to climb over the barrier for a photo op.

Loggerhead sea turtles

The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation in action.

If you're on Sanibel between the months of May and October, you may catch the wondrous
sight of a loggerhead sea turtle laying her eggs along the beaches on the Gulfside of the island or the hatchlings making their crawl to the sea. If you do, keep a good distance and avoid shining your cell phone or any flashlights, and please abide by these guidelines from the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation.

During the nesting season, you'll see yellow tent-like structures on the beach marking where SCCF has found nests, each of which contains 100 or more eggs. Somewhere between 45 to 60 days later, the eggs hatch and the little turtles make their way to the sea. Or they try: some become prey, others wander in the wrong direction, and a few get left behind in the nest. In the morning, the SCCF patrol the beach with their golf cart to check out the tracks in the sand for evidence of hatchlings. If you walk along the shore between 7-9 am, you may see the SCCF turtle patrol in action and, if they have time, they'll let you see any baby turtles left over in the nest.

Sharks
They're out there. They're not all as big as this thirteen-foot hammerhead. But they're definitely a lot of sharks swimming in the warm waters surrounding Sanibel and Captiva. The good news is that most sharks are not as interested in us as we are in them. You probably won't have to worry about sharks if you stick to the commonsense guidelines:  don't swim at night, dusk or dawn as this is hunting and feeding time; avoid swimming near fisherman in shallow water; etc. We saw this one prowling along the shore in October around sunset. Like I said, they're out there. 

Dolphins
The Pine Island Sound is a year-round home to approximately 350 bottlenose dolphins, and, contrary to sharks, these crowd-pleasing animals seem as fascinated by us as we are by them.

You can see dolphins swimming in the Gulf or in the Sound. Just about every sea captain in the area can entice these beautiful animals to dive and play in the wake of a boat. The best at this is the Sanibel Thriller that operates out of the Sanibel Marina.

You can also find dolphins in Tarpon Bay during a kayak or pontoon outing. Or, for those who prefer not to venture onto the water, keep your eyes offshore during morning walks along the Gulf beaches.


Enjoy beautiful Sanibel Island!

(Manatee snout and turtle hatchling photo credits to K. Dunbar.)