Jim Bennight captures the wild beauty of Sanibel Island, one click at a time. From videos of manatees to his favorite bird, the mangrove cuckoo, Bennight is dedicated to framing nature through his lens. However, he has noticed some changes lately.
"I started coming out here, said ‘Hey, what is this place?’ Liked it? Took some pictures, came back, ended up as a volunteer," said Bennight.
The government shutdown has impacted the maintenance of the area.
"Our maintenance staff is gone, so they can't come in and pick up a tree limb that might have fallen on a path," said Bennight.
"There's no one to mow the grass along the side of the road. So it's not as pretty and neat as it might be, but you know, we'll survive," Bennight added.
Despite the shutdown, certain areas remain accessible.
"Luckily, the wildlife drive is still open. We also have a spot called the Bailey track, no facilities, but yes, it's open for walking," said Bennight.
For some visitors, closed facilities have been a disappointment. Denise Boebinger, who brought her grandkids to experience the local wildlife, was particularly affected.
"We were so excited to get to take them to the Education Center because they hadn't been, and we came here and it shut down," said Boebinger.
"It's just such a wonderful experience to go through. Learn about both the mangroves, the manatees, and the other wildlife on Sanibel," Boebinger continued.
"It was super disappointing that I couldn't show them that wonderful facility," she added.
Her granddaughter, Molly, expressed her reaction simply.
"I was like, shaky, darn," said Molly.
Despite the closures, the family is grateful to be back on Sanibel Island.
"We love Sanibel. It's our second home down here, too, and we're so glad that it's recovering now," said Boebinger.
Bennight remains hopeful that visitors will respect the trails, allowing them to stay open throughout the shutdown.