Visiting CROW

It took us quite a while just to get over the causeway and onto the island, traffic was bumper to bumper.  It's $6/car...imagine how much money they take in every day...

ka-ching, ka-ching

The view is really spectacular...

Looking the other direction, smoke from the Picayune Strand State Forest brush fire is still clearly visible.  

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife covers a 10 acre tract of land on Sanibel Island.  This is the center that cared for the baby eagle, E8, twice in 2016.  Although they predominately handle birds, they care for all different species of wildlife, including but not limited to, raccoons, possums, sea turtles, rabbits, snakes and so on.  They have a veterinary staff, as well as interns and volunteers.  

The tour was $20, which provides food and supplies used exclusively to treat animals in the hospital.  It included the Visitor Information Center, a 45 minute presentation (this one was about raptors) and a tour of the hospital building.  The outside enclosures can be seen but visitors aren't allowed to get close to them because it stresses out the animals, completely understandable.

They did have several animal ambassadors that we were able to see and photograph, including Lola the Kestrel

Shelldon, the gopher tortoise ...

 Bill got to feed him a hibiscus flower.  Apparently they are like crack for turtles.

FYI...gopher tortoises do not swim.  Shelldon got caught under a car and subsequently is missing "toes" on one of his feet, which would not allow him to dig a burrow for protection, as well as sections of his underside.  

Sidney, the alligator...

She is just a baby and will be raised around people so that she can be used as an ambassador, helping people understand the species and how to live with and protect them.

Our plan was to eat lunch on our way and take the 2:00 tour but since it took us such a long time to get there, we skipped lunch, so by the time the tour was over, it was nearly 4:00 and we were starving.  We stopped at out favorite deli on the island for a sandwich and a beverage and strangely enough, it was "raining" ash from the fire.  

Unfortunately, from the time we got back on the road, it took us nearly 1 1/2 hours to travel 2 miles just to reach the road that goes over the causeway.  Ugh!  Honestly, if we never travel to Sanibel again, that's okay with me.  Otherwise, it was a good day.

Thanks for stopping by...
;o)