provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The remarkable, true-life story of lion cub K’wasi enlightens us about the emotional intelligence of animals. Photographer and author Ron Magill’s book The Pride of a Lion: What the Animal Kingdom Can Teach Us About Survival, Fear and Family chronicles the tale, and he will base his Feb. 19 lectures at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, on the lion’s journey.
As the official “wildlife ambassador” for Zoo Miami, Magill had first-hand experience with K’wasi, who was born, then orphaned, there. His lectures take place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in The Roost at the “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center on Sanibel Island as part of the 21st annual “Ding” Darling Winter Lecture Series.
A popular, engaging speaker and media personality, Magill has made frequent television appearances on National Geographic Explorer, the Discovery Networks, the Today Show, Good Morning America, The Late Show, CBS This Morning, Dateline, CNN, Univision, and Telemundo.
He also has written and produced many wildlife articles and award-winning photographs that have appeared in publications and galleries around the world. He has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia, and tropical America while developing and directing conservation projects and Emmy-Award winning documentaries focusing on the wildlife of the regions.
Magill also has worked with several children’s charities and has established an endowment that provides tens of thousands of dollars annually to wildlife conservation by providing annual scholarships and supporting field conservation projects to protect wildlife in the wild areas where it is naturally found.
Following his lectures, Magill will sign copies of The Pride of a Lion, available for sale in the Refuge Nature Store.
“Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) co-hosts the eight-part lecture series with the refuge and through financial support from sponsors. Hightower Advisors Fort Myers sponsors Magill’s lectures. A video of Magill’s appearance will be available in a “Ding” on the Wing e-newsletter following the lectures.
While the refuge auditorium is undergoing renovations, all remaining 2026 lectures will take place in The Roost outdoor pavilion. Seating is limited on a first-come basis. Guests are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs to ensure a seat. Most of the open-air seating is under cover, however DDWS suggests sunscreen, bug spray, and weather-appropriate attire.
See the complete listing of the season’s lectures below and online here. Starred (*) lectures indicate those with book-signings following the lecture.
Note: Opinions expressed in guest lectures do not necessarily reflect the views of refuge and DDWS management, staff, and board of directors.
*Feb. 19 – Wildlife Ambassador, Author, and Photographer Ron Magill, The Pride of a Lion: What the Animal Kingdom Can Teach Us About Survival, Fear and Family (A True Animal Survival Story) — Sponsors: Hightower Advisors Fort Myers
*March 5 – Sanibel Author Jeri Magg, The Remarkable Women of Sanibel & Captiva – Sponsors: Peter B. Griffin and Joanne S. Griffin
*March 26 – Author/Photographer Paul Bannick, Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers – Sponsors: Hank & Linda Spire
April 2 – Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida, “Live Hive & Taste: Observing Live Bees with Honey-Tasting” – Sponsor – Friends of the Refuge
*April 9 – Author/Conservationist Tina Morris, Return to the Sky: The Surprising Story of How One Woman and Seven Eaglets Helped Restore the Bald Eagle
*April 16 – Sanibel Author Charles Sobczak, The Living Gulf Coast: A Nature Guide to Southwest Florida — Sponsor: Hightower Advisors Fort Myers
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