Editing Sanibel, Florida

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info ---------------->
| name                     = Sanibel, Florida
| official_name            = City of Sanibel
| nickname                 = 
| settlement_type          = [[City (Florida)|City]]
| motto                    = "A Barrier Island Sanctuary"<ref name="City of Sanibel Florida Website">{{cite web|url= http://www.mysanibel.com/|title= City of Sanibel Florida Website |publisher= City of Sanibel Florida Website |access-date= September 21, 2012}}</ref>
<!-- images and maps ----------->
| image_skyline            = Blind Pass, Sanibel and Captiva.JPG
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = A 2014 view looking across to the northern tip of Sanibel from the Captiva side of Blind Pass. The bridge connecting the two islands is visible on the extreme left.
| image_flag               = 
| flag_size                = 
| image_seal               = Seal of Sanibel, Florida.png
| seal_size                = 
| image_blank_emblem       = 
| blank_emblem_type        = 
| blank_emblem_size        = 
| image_map                = Lee_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Sanibel_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location in [[Lee County, Florida]]
| pushpin_map              = 
| pushpin_label_position   = 
| pushpin_map_caption      = <!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = [[United States of America]]
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Florida}}
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Lee County, Florida|Lee]]
<!-- Politics ----------------->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = [[Council-manager government|Council-Manager]]
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Richard Johnson
| leader_title1            = [[Vice Mayor]]
| leader_name1             = Mike Miller
| leader_title2            = [[City Council|Council Members]]
| leader_name2             = Holly D. Smith,<br> Arlene Dillon, and<br>John Henshaw
| leader_title3            = [[City Manager]]
| leader_name3             = Dana Souza
| leader_title4            = [[City Clerk]]
| leader_name4             = Pamela Smith
| established_title        = [[Settler colonialism|Settled]]
| established_date         = 1832-1884
| established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date2        = 
| established_title3       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date3        = 1974<ref name="City of Sanibel Florida Website"/>
<!-- Area --------------------->
| area_magnitude           = 
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 2, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi         = 33.21
| area_land_sq_mi          = 16.18
| area_water_sq_mi         = 17.03
| area_water_percent       = 48.13
| area_metro_sq_mi         = <!-- Population ----------------------->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_note          = 
| population_total         = 6382
| population_density_sq_mi = 394.44
| population_metro         = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = <!-- General information --------------->
| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| coordinates              = {{coord|26|26|23|N|82|4|50|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes      = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
| elevation_ft             = 3
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 33957
| area_code                = [[Area code 239|239]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 12-63700
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 0290637<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| website                  = [http://www.mysanibel.com City of Sanibel Florida Website]
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
| area_total_km2           = 86.01
| area_land_km2            = 41.90
| area_water_km2           = 44.10
| population_density_km2   = 152.30
}}

'''Sanibel''' is an island and city in [[Lee County, Florida]], United States. The population was 6,382 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile/Sanibel_city,_Florida?g=1600000US1263700 |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> down from 6,469 at the 2010 census. It is part of the [[Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The island, also known as '''Sanibel Island''', constitutes the entire city. It is a [[barrier island]]—a collection of sand on the [[windward and leeward|leeward]] side of the more solid coral-rock of [[Pine Island (Lee County, Florida)|Pine Island]].

Most of the city proper is at the island's eastern end. After the [[Sanibel Causeway|Sanibel causeway]] was built to replace the ferry in 1963, the city was incorporated in 1974, and the residents asserted control over development by establishing the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan, helping maintain a balance between development and preservation of the island's ecology.<ref name=SCCF>{{cite web|url=http://www.sccf.org/content/57/Our-History.aspx |title=Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation History |access-date=2009-07-09 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705192015/http://sccf.org/content/57/Our-History.aspx |archive-date=2009-07-05 }}</ref> In September 2022, the causeway was heavily damaged by [[Hurricane Ian]].

Due to easy causeway access, Sanibel is a popular tourist destination known for its shell beaches and wildlife refuges. More than half the island is made up of wildlife refuges, the largest being [[J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge]]. The Island hosts the Sanibel Historical Village and a variety of other museums, including the [[Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum]].

==History==
[[File:SanibelLighthouse.jpg|thumb|left|View of the Lighthouse at the southern tip of Sanibel Island]]
Sanibel and [[Captiva Island|Captiva]] formed as one island about 6,000 years ago. The first known humans in the area were the [[Calusa]], who arrived about 2,500 years ago.<ref name=History>{{cite web |url= http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/islands/history.asp |title= Sanibel and Captiva Islands Information |access-date= 2009-07-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090411153828/http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/islands/history.asp |archive-date= 2009-04-11 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The Calusa were a powerful [[Native Americans in the United States|Indian]] nation who came to dominate most of Southwest Florida through trade via their elaborate system of canals and waterways. Sanibel remained an important Calusa settlement until the collapse of their empire, soon after the arrival of the [[Europe]]ans.

During the 1700s, Cuban fishermen seasonally traveled from their homes and set up fishing camps along the Gulf Coast, called ''ranchos'', including on Sanibel Island.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Worth |first1=John E. |title=Creolization in Southwest Florida: Cuban Fishermen and "Spanish Indians," ca. 1766—1841 |journal=Historical Archaeology |date=2012 |volume=46 |issue=1 |page=145 |doi=10.1007/BF03376865 |jstor=23264529 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23264529 |access-date=24 January 2023}}</ref>

In 1765, the first known appearance of a harbor on Sanibel is shown on a map as ''Puerto de S. Nibel'' (the "v" and "b" being interchangeable); thus, the name may have evolved from "San Nibel". Alternatively, the name may derive, as many believe, from "(Santa) Ybel", which survives in the old placename "Point Ybel", where the [[Sanibel Island Light]] is. How it would have gotten this name, however, is a matter of conjecture. One story says it was named by [[Juan Ponce de León]] for Queen [[Isabella I of Castile]] or the [[Elizabeth (Biblical person)|saint whose name she shares]]. Another attributes the name to Roderigo Lopez, the first mate of [[José Gaspar]] (Gasparilla), after his beautiful lover Sanibel whom he had left behind in Spain. But like most of the lore surrounding Gasparilla, this story is apocryphal, as the above references to recognizable variants of the name predate the buccaneer's supposed reign.

Sanibel is not the only island in the area to figure prominently in the legends of Gaspar; Captiva, [[Useppa Island|Useppa]], and [[Gasparilla Island|Gasparilla]] are also connected. Sanibel also appears in another tale, involving Gaspar's ally-turned-rival [[Black Caesar (pirate)|Black Caesar]], said to have been a former Haitian slave who escaped during the [[Haitian Revolution]] to become a pirate. According to folklore, Black Caesar came to the [[Gulf of Mexico]] during the [[War of 1812]] to avoid interference from the British. In the Gulf he befriended Gasparilla, who allowed him to establish himself on Sanibel Island. Eventually the old Spaniard discovered Caesar had been stealing from him and chased him off, but not before his loot had been buried.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

In 1832, the Florida Peninsular Land Company established a settlement on Sanibel (then spelled "Sanybel"), but the colony never took off, and was abandoned by 1849. It was this group that initially petitioned for a lighthouse on the island. The island was repopulated after the implementation of the [[Homestead Act]] in 1862, and again a lighthouse was petitioned. Construction of the Sanibel Island Lighthouse was completed in 1884,<ref name=lighthouse>{{cite web |url= http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/islands/Lighthouse.asp |title= History of the Sanibel Lighthouse |access-date= 2009-07-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101229143538/http://sanibel-captiva.org/islands/Lighthouse.asp |archive-date= 2010-12-29 |url-status= dead }}</ref> but the community remained small.

In May 1963, a causeway linking Sanibel and Captiva to the mainland opened, resulting in an explosion of growth. The City of Sanibel passed new restrictions on development after it was incorporated; developers challenged them to no avail. The island's only buildings taller than two stories predate 1974, and no fast food or chain restaurants are allowed on the island except for two that were there before the laws were enacted. A new causeway was completed in 2007; it replaced the worn-out 1963 spans, which were not designed to carry heavy loads or large numbers of vehicles. The new bridge features a "flyover" span tall enough for sailboats to pass under, replacing the old bridge's bascule drawbridge span. The original bridge was demolished and its remains were sunk into the water to create artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.<ref name=causeway>{{cite web |url=http://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/news/2007/0726/top_news/002.html |title=Fort Myers Florida Weekly: Sanibel Causeway |access-date=2009-07-13 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123063552/http://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/news/2007/0726/top_news/002.html |archive-date=2013-01-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Development===
The main town is on the island's eastern end. The city was formed in 1974,<ref name="City of Sanibel Florida Website"/> as a direct result of the main causeway being built in 1963 to replace the ferry, and the rampant construction and development that followed. Developers sued over the new restrictions, but the city and citizens prevailed in their quest to protect the island. The only buildings above two to three stories on the island were built during that period.

A short bridge over [[Blind Pass]] links Sanibel to [[Captiva Island]]. More than half of the two islands are preserved in its natural state as wildlife refuges. Visitors can drive, walk, bike, or kayak through the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/dingdarling/ |title=Home - J.N. Ding Darling - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |publisher=Fws.gov |date=2015-12-15 |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref> The island's most famous landmark, the [[Sanibel Island Light|Sanibel Lighthouse]], is at its eastern end, adjacent to the fishing pier. The main thoroughfare, Periwinkle Way, is where most of Sanibel's stores and restaurants are, while the Gulf Drives (East, Middle and West) have most of the accommodations.

The [[Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation]], a nonprofit organization, has been a key player in curbing commercial growth and development on the island. Since 1967, SCCF has been dedicated to preserving natural resources on and around Sanibel and Captiva and has led efforts to acquire and preserve environmentally sensitive land on the islands, including critical wildlife habitats, rare and unique subtropical plant communities, tidal wetlands, and freshwater wetlands along the Sanibel River.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sccf.org/content/57/Our-History.aspx|title="Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation"|access-date=July 7, 2009|archive-date=July 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705192015/http://sccf.org/content/57/Our-History.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SanibelRiver">{{cite web|title=The Sanibel River Past, Present and Future
|url=https://www.mysanibel.com/content/download/22914/file/The%20Sanibel%20Slough%20Water%20Quality%20Restoration%20Article%206-13-16.pdf |access-date=2023-03-22
|publisher=City of Sanibel |website=mysanibel.com |date=June 13, 2016}}
</ref>

[[The Wall Street Journal]] selected Sanibel and Captiva Islands as one of the 10 Best Places for Second Homes in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704869304575109461496208030?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read|title=10 Best Places for Second Homes|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=8 March 2010}}
</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Wulfert Sanibel.JPG|right|thumb|Beach near the western end of Sanibel]]
Sanibel is located at {{Coord|26|26|23|N|82|4|50|W|type:city}} (26.439608, –82.080456).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|33.16|sqmi|km2|1}}, of which {{convert|17.21|sqmi|km2|1}} is land and {{convert|15.96|sqmi|km2|1}} (48.13%) is water.

==Climate==
Sanibel Island, in southern Florida, has a [[tropical climate]], with daily high temperatures ranging from {{convert|75|°F|°C|abbr=on}} in midwinter to around  {{convert|90|°F|°C|abbr=on}} in the summer.<ref name=weather>{{cite web |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USFL0068?par=usatoday&site=www.usatoday.com&promo=0&cm_ven=USAToday&cm_cat=www.usatoday.com&cm_pla=WxPage&cm_ite=CityPage |title= The Weather Channel |access-date= 2009-07-13}}</ref> The months of January through April (peak tourist season on the island) have the coolest temperatures, ranging from {{convert|75|°F|°C|abbr=on}} during the day to a cool {{convert|55|°F|°C|abbr=on}} at night, and there is very little rainfall on the island during those months.<ref name=sancap>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/islands/Weather.asp |title=Sanibel Captiva Weather |access-date=2009-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609142312/http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/islands/Weather.asp |archive-date=2009-06-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The island's summer heat and humidity, which has been recorded as high as {{convert|100|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, is cooled by the seabreezes from the Gulf of Mexico, and by almost daily afternoon and evening rain showers, which are responsible for much of the island's rainfall. June is when the Island gets most of its rain.<ref name="weather"/> The area is prone to being hit by [[tropical cyclones]] and hurricanes; the hurricane season starts in June, but most of the activity occurs in September and October. Local communities have "adapted to cope with these occasional storm threats."<ref name=evac>{{cite web |url= http://www.mysanibel.com/Departments/Police-including-Emergency-Management/Hurricane-Emergency-Management |title= Sanibel and Captiva Hurricane Emergency Management |access-date= 2009-07-13 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081120222619/http://mysanibel.com/Departments/Police-including-Emergency-Management/Hurricane-Emergency-Management |archive-date= 2008-11-20 }}</ref>

===Hurricanes===
{{Further|Hurricane Charley|Hurricane Ian}}
Southwest Florida rarely suffers direct strikes by hurricanes, but every 20 or so years it takes a significant hit, and about every 40 years a major one. Most of these have affected Sanibel. On August 13, 2004, it was hit hard by [[Hurricane Charley]], a [[Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale|category four]] hurricane with {{convert|143|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} winds.<ref name="evac"/> It was the strongest to hit Southwest Florida since [[Hurricane Donna]] in September 1960.<ref name=charley>{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E0D71631F936A15752C1A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title=New York Times Travel |access-date= 2009-07-13 | work=The New York Times | first=Claire | last=Wilson | date=2005-11-25}}</ref> While much of the native vegetation survived, the non-indigenous [[Casuarina|Australian Pines]] suffered serious damage, blocking nearly every road. Wildlife officials reported that the nests of birds and [[sea turtle]]s were destroyed. The Sanibel Lighthouse suffered little damage, the Sanibel Causeway suffered relatively minor damage except for a tollbooth being tilted partly over, and a small [[seawall]] was eroded. Blind Pass was again cut through, but it refilled less than a month later. Residents who left before the August 13 storm were not allowed back by the city government until August 18, due to hundreds of downed trees and electric power lines, and the lack of potable water and sanitary sewerage. A temporary city hall for Sanibel was set up in a Fort Myers hotel until utilities and transport could be restored to the island.

On September 28, 2022, the island suffered extensive damage from [[Hurricane Ian]], which made landfall just to the north of the island as a strong category 4 storm. The [[Sanibel Causeway]] partially collapsed during the storm, leaving no road access to the island or nearby [[Captiva, Florida]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ian washed away part of Sanibel Causeway, Sanibel and Captiva cut off from mainland |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/hurricane-ian-washed-away-sanibel-causeway-sanibel-captiva/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1980= 3363
|1990= 5468
|2000= 6064
|2010= 6469
|2020= 6382
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Sanibel racial composition'''<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Sanibel city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Sanibel+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Sanibel city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Sanibel+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|6,219
|6,030
|96.14%
|94.48%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|40
|27
|0.62%
|0.42%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|5
|8
|0.08%
|0.13%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|24
|44
|0.37%
|0.69%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]] (NH)
|1
|2
|0.02%
|0.03%
|-
|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (NH)
|7
|16
|0.11%
|0.25%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races/Multiracial]] (NH)
|22
|100
|0.34%
|1.57%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|151
|155
|2.33%
|2.43%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''6,469'''
|'''6,382'''
|
|
|-
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 6,382 people, 3,919 households, and 2,766 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Sanibel city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Sanibel+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 6,469 people, 3,526 households, and 2,322 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Sanibel city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Sanibel+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

In 2010, the population density was {{convert|375.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 7,821 dwelling units at an average density of {{convert|454.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.<ref name="United States Census Report 2010">{{cite web|last1=U.S. Census Bureau|title=2010 Census Report City of Sanibel|url=https://www.census.gov|website=Census.gov|access-date=February 12, 2016}}</ref>

In 2010, there were 3,526 households, out of which 8.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 2.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.28.<ref name="United States Census Report 2010"/>

Among the population in 2010, 8.5% under the age of 19, 1.1% from 20 to 24, 7.5% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and those aged 65 or older represented 50.1%. The median age was 65 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males age 18 and over.<ref name="United States Census Report 2010"/>

In 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $97,788, and the median income for a family was $138,194. Males had a median income of $80,152 versus $45,458 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $79,742. About 3.6% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, with 21.3% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="United States Census Report 2010"/>

==Ecology==
===Flora and fauna===
[[File:Sylvilagus palustris from Sanibel (Florida) 1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Marsh rabbit]]s are common in Sanibel]]
The island's curved [[shrimp]]-like shape forms Tarpon Bay on the north side of the island. It is linked to the [[mainland]] by the [[Sanibel Causeway]], which runs across two small manmade islets and the [[Intracoastal Waterway]]. A short bridge links Sanibel Island to [[Captiva Island]] over [[Blind Pass]]. 
The [[Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum]] on Sanibel is the only museum in the world dedicated entirely to the study of shells. The Gulf-side beaches are excellent on both Sanibel and Captiva, and are world-renowned for their variety of [[Exoskeleton|seashells]], which include [[coquina]]s, [[scallop]]s, [[whelk]]s, [[sand dollar]]s, and many other species of both shallow-water and deeper-water [[Mollusca|mollusks]], primarily [[Bivalvia|bivalves]] and [[Gastropoda|gastropods]].
Sanibel Island is home to a significant variety of [[birds]], including the [[roseate spoonbill]] and several nesting pairs of [[bald eagle]]s. Birds can be seen on the beaches, the causeway islands, and the reserves, including [[J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge]]. Common sights include [[Brown pelican|pelicans]], [[heron]]s, [[egret]]s, and [[anhinga]]s, as well as the more common birds like [[tern]]s, [[Scolopacidae|sandpipers]], and [[gull|seagulls]].

[[File:Loggerhead turtle track Sanibel Island Florida.JPG|thumb|[[Loggerhead sea turtle|Loggerhead turtle]] track on a beach in Sanibel]]

There is a population of [[American alligator]]s on Sanibel Island. A lone rare [[American crocodile]] had been seen at the Wildlife Refuge for over 30 years, but she died in 2010 of unseasonably cold winters or old age.<ref name="crocmemorial">{{cite web |url=http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2010/jan/29/old-age-or-cold-snap-blame-crocodiles-death-sanibe/ |title=Old age or cold snap to blame for crocodile's death on Sanibel Island |access-date=2012-03-01}}</ref>  A memorial was set up at [[J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge]] honoring "Wilma", as she was known by the residents.<ref name="crocmemorial"/>  A new crocodile was introduced in May 2010 when she was found on a private property and relocated to [[J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge]].<ref name=newcroc>{{cite web |url=http://www.captivasanibel.com/page/content.detail/id/507503.html |title='Ding' Darling receives new female crocodile |access-date=2012-03-01}}</ref>  Plants on the island include the native [[Coccoloba uvifera|sea grape]], [[sea oats]], [[mangrove]]s, and several types of [[Arecaceae|palm trees]]. The [[Casuarina|Australian pine]] is an introduced species that has spread throughout the island, to some extent overpowering native vegetation and trees. Once mature, the pine blocks sunlight and drops a thick bed of pine needles that affect the soil's pH and prevents new native growth. The ground is very soft under these pines.

The local form of the [[marsh rice rat]] has been recognized in some classifications as a separate [[subspecies]], ''Oryzomys palustris sanibeli''.<ref>Wolfe, J.L. 1982. [http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-176-01-0001.pdf Oryzomys palustris]. Mammalian Species 176:1&ndash;5.</ref>

===Wildlife refuges===
[[File:Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Sanibel Island, Florida 01.JPG|thumb|left|[[Bobcat]]s are sometimes seen in Sanibel]]
Preserving the island's natural ecology has always been important to its citizens and visitors alike. A driving force in the preservation of the island is the [[Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation]] which was founded in 1967 with a mission to "preserve natural resources and wildlife habitat on and around the islands of Sanibel and Captiva."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sccf.org/content/57/Our-History.aspx |title=Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation |access-date=2009-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705192015/http://sccf.org/content/57/Our-History.aspx |archive-date=2009-07-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> {{convert|1300|acre|km2}} of land on Sanibel are under the supervision of the Foundation; included in this land there is a "Marine Laboratory which actively conducts research in areas including [[seagrass]]es, [[mangroves]], harmful [[algal bloom]]s, fish populations and shellfish restoration."<ref name=conservation>{{cite web |url=http://www.sccf.org/ |title=Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation |access-date=2009-07-15}}</ref> Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation also has a project called RECON ([[River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network]]) which includes a "network of eight in-water sensors that provide real-time, hourly readings of key water quality parameters."<ref name="conservation"/>  The foundation also serves to protect the wildlife on the island and has a variety of education programs designed to instruct people about the island's unique ecology.

The biggest wildlife refuge on the island is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Covering more than {{convert|5200|acre|km2}} of land, the refuge strives to ensure that these lands are "preserved, restored and maintained as a haven for indigenous and migratory wildlife as part of a nation-wide network of Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" The lands also serve to provide a home for many endangered and threatened species.<ref name=ding>{{cite web |url=http://www.ding-darling.org/wildlife.html |title=J.N. "Ding" Darling Foundation |access-date= 2009-07-13}}</ref> Currently the refuge provides a home for over 220 species of birds native to the island.<ref name=NWR>{{cite web |url=http://www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs/facts/jndcon.pdf |title="Ding" Darling FWS |access-date=2009-07-15}}</ref> Visitors to the refuge can walk, bike, drive, or kayak though the wildlife drive which takes you through {{convert|5|mi|spell=in|abbr=off}} of mangrove tree forests and tidal flats, this drive is perfect for watching the island's wildlife and looking at the island's native vegetation. To show that preserving the wildlife really is important, the drive is closed one day every week, Friday, so that the wildlife can have a day to themselves where they can scavenge for food closer to the drive and not have to be bothered by or fearful of humans. There is also an education center which features "interactive exhibits on refuge ecosystems, the life and work of "Ding" Darling, migratory flyways, and the National Wildlife Refuge System."<ref name=darling>{{cite web |url=http://www.fws.gov/dingdarling/VisitorInformation.html |title=J.N. "Ding" Darling Visitor Center |access-date= 2009-07-13}}</ref>

===Beaches and seashells===
[[File:West Gulf Drive, Sanibel.JPG|thumb|A view looking north on the beach at West Gulf Drive Beach access point #7, Sanibel, Lee County, Florida. The whitish objects are all shells, and so are some of the brown objects.]]
Sanibel's beaches attract visitors from all around the world, partly because of the large quantities of seashells that wash up there. Many sand dollars can be found as well. One of the reasons for these large accumulations of shells is that Sanibel is a barrier island that is "part of a large plateau that extends out into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] for miles. It is this plateau that acts like a shelf for seashells to gather." Sanibel also has an "east-west orientation when most islands are north-south. Hence, the island is gifted with great sandy beaches and an abundance of shells."<ref name=beaches>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/play/beaches.asp |title=Where to Play |access-date=2009-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090720134811/http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/play/beaches.asp |archive-date=2009-07-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

People lucky enough to find the elegant brown-spotted shell of [[Scaphella junonia|a Junonia]] on a Sanibel beach often get their picture in the local newspapers. Junonia volutes are reasonably common living in deep water but only rarely wash up; a beach find of a whole shell is greatly prized. Junonia shells can be purchased at local shell shops and are displayed at the [[Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum]], in some of the glass display tables at the Sanibel Cafe, and at the Sanibel Shell Fair in early March.

Throughout the year, people come to Sanibel's beaches to gather shells. People are often seen bending down as they look for seashells, and this posture is known as the "Sanibel Stoop."<ref name=stoop>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanibelisland.com/shelling.html |title=Sanibel Island Shelling and Beaches |access-date=2009-07-16}}</ref> There are beaches almost all around the island. There are even beaches along the Sanibel causeway that are great for fishing and [[windsurf]]ing. Beach parking is very limited, and in high season finding a convenient parking space can be a challenge.

Lighthouse Beach is named after [[Sanibel Island Light|Sanibel Lighthouse]], which includes a popular fishing pier and nature trails. The island's most secluded beach is Bowman's Beach; no hotels are in sight and the beach has a "pristine and quiet" atmosphere.<ref name="beaches"/>

==Infrastructure==
[[File:Causeway seen from Sanibel.JPG|thumb|left|A view looking toward the mainland from the bay side of Sanibel shows the causeway in the distance.]]

===Transportation===
A new three-section causeway bridge to Sanibel was completed in 2007, with a high-span section replacing the original drawbridge. Many sections of the causeway were destroyed in September 2022 by [[Hurricane Ian]], rendering it unusable. The causeway has since been repaired

==Library==
Sanibel Public Library was built in 1994 and expanded in 2004. It has more than 60,000 titles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sanlib.org/|title=Sanibel Public Library|website=Sanibel Public Library}}</ref>

==Notable people==
The city's best-known resident is former [[CIA]] [[Director of the Central Intelligence Agency|Director]] [[Porter Goss]], who spearheaded the island's incorporation, became its first mayor, and represented the area in [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] from 1989 until his appointment as CIA Director in 2004.

Other notable people who reside or used to reside on Sanibel include:
*[[R. Tucker Abbott]], leading 20th century [[malacologist]]/[[conchologist]]
*[[Horace William Baden Donegan]], Bishop of New York, Episcopal Church in the United States of America 
*[[Clifton Fadiman]], author and radio/TV personality
*[[Helaine Fendelman]], appraiser
*[[Jean Shepherd]], author, screenwriter and radio raconteur
*[[Willard Scott]], TV personality
*[[Randy Wayne White]], writer of [[crime fiction]] and nonfiction adventure tales

==In literature==
Sanibel Island is the main setting for crime novels by local author Randy Wayne White. Popular locales are referenced throughout his novels. White's main fictional character is Doc Ford and due to his popularity, White opened a restaurant called Doc Ford's Sanibel Rum Bar & Grill. Sanibel Island is the setting in the prologue of the book [[People We Meet on Vacation|''People'' ''We Meet on Vacation'']]''.''

==In film==
Parts of [[George A. Romero]]'s ''[[Day of the Dead (1985 film)|Day of the Dead]]'' were shot on Sanibel Island.<ref>{{cite web |author=Special To Florida Weekly |url=http://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/news/2008-10-22/arts_ent/069.html |title=The dead walk: Zombicon returns to Fort Myers &#124; October 22, 2008 &#124; Florida Weekly |publisher=Fortmyers.floridaweekly.com |date=2008-10-22 |access-date=2017-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202013531/http://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/news/2008-10-22/arts_ent/069.html |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Romero had a second home on Sanibel, where he rewrote ''Day of the Dead'' in 1984.<ref>Pittsburgh Film History: On Set in the Steel City by John Tiech, The History Press, 2012, pp. 45-48</ref>

''[[Night Moves (1975 film)|Night Moves]]'' was filmed on the Island in 1975, directed by [[Arthur Penn]]. It stars [[Gene Hackman]], [[Jennifer Warren]], [[Susan Clark]] and features early career appearances by [[James Woods]] and [[Melanie Griffith]].

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Sanibel Island}}
*[http://sanibel-captiva.org Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce] Official website for businesses on Sanibel Island and Captiva Island
*[http://www.mysanibel.com City of Sanibel Florida Website] Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
*[http://www.visitfortmyers.com Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau] Information regarding travel and tourism to and around Sanibel Island

{{Lee County, Florida}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Sanibel, Florida| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:Seaside resorts in Florida]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico]]
[[Category:Cities in Florida]]
[[Category:Islands of Lee County, Florida]]
[[Category:Gulf Coast barrier islands of Florida]]