Have you ever wondered how a gopher tortoise can survive an 8-foot storm surge? What happens to freshwater fish when their ponds fill with saltwater? Why do some homes survive a hurricane unscathed while others are reduced to rubble?
Sanibel Island author and naturalist Charlie Sobczak will examine these and other questions during two free lectures “Surviving the Storms – Hurricanes, Humans, and Wildlife,” part of the 2024 lecture series at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, on Thursday, March 14, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
“Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) co-hosts the lectures with the refuge and through financial support from co-sponsors Cliff and Susan Beittel and Friend of “Ding” Darling. A book-signing will follow the lecture. Note: Opinions expressed in guest lectures do not necessarily reflect the views of refuge and DDWS management, staff, and board of directors.
Sobczak is an award-winning author who lives and writes on Sanibel Island. He has authored 10 books, including three non-fiction titles, two selected works, and five novels. His non-fiction work focuses on local and regional Florida flora and fauna, including Living Sanibel: A Nature Guide to Sanibel & Captiva Islands.
Sobczak’s lectures are part of a six-lecture series, now underway in its 19th year at “Ding” Darling. Seating for the free lectures is limited on a first-come basis. Early arrivals can check in after 9 a.m. or 12 p.m. to obtain an entrance wristband and then can explore the Visitor & Education Center or Wildlife Drive and trails before the lecture starts. Saved seats must be filled 15 minutes before lecture time or risk being reassigned.