Wildlife Medical Clinic at Illinois

06/22/2026

For this week's , meet Daniel, a rising second-year student currently navigating the dual-degree DVM/PhD Program here at the University of Illinois.

Before starting his veterinary journey, Daniel spent time at the University of Maine, where he completed both his undergraduate and master's degrees in Marine Biology. While there, he spent
his graduate years in an infectious disease laboratory assisting in wildlife necropsies and researching the development of salmon vaccines.

Daniel became part of the Wildlife Medical Clinic team right at the start of his vet school career, aiming to sharpen his clinical expertise and master the decision-making required to rehabilitate our local Illinois wildlife. Looking ahead, he plans to dive into a career focused on wildlife and aquatic pathology, with a special focus on infectious and zoonotic diseases.

A northern Illinois native, Daniel has a lifelong passion for our state's wild residents, particularly those that live in the water. His unique marine biology background brings a fresh perspective to the many diverse species we treat at the clinic.

Daniel is thrilled to keep growing his knowledge, polishing his skills, and ensuring our Illinois wildlife patients receive the very best care!

We are thrilled that Daniel decided to bring his positive vibes to the WMC this summer and make us part of his DVM/PhD journey!

06/19/2026

Meet a male Painted Turtle! 🐢 One way to tell him apart from the invasive Red-eared Slider is that he lacks the distinctive red stripe behind the eye that gives sliders their name.

In Painted Turtles and many other aquatic turtle species, males can also be identified by their unusually long front claws. These claws aren't used for fighting—they're an important part of courtship. When a male encounters a receptive female, he stretches out his front legs and rapidly vibrates or “flutters” his long claws near her face. This remarkable display sends visual and tactile signals to the female and is one of the most recognizable turtle courtship behaviors.

06/19/2026

Now that the weather is starting to warm up, this article serves as an important reminder to keep cats indoors. A large portion of the animals brought into the WMC are victims of cat attacks, highlighting the significant impact free-roaming cats can have on local wildlife. These cases serve as a microcosm of the broader ecological effects that cats and other invasive species have on the environment.

Learn about the dangers that domestic cats pose to wildlife and what you can do to minimize these dangers.

06/17/2026

Did you guess this week's correctly?

This is a least bittern, the smallest heron in North America and an uncommon visitor to Illinois in the summer for its breeding season. Due to the destruction of wetlands, its preferred habitat, this species is considered threatened in the state of Illinois. This individual is a male as indicated by the dark black cap atop its head.

06/17/2026

For this week's , can you tell who this face belongs to? 👀 Drop your guesses in the comments, and come back at 5PM to see if you were right!

06/16/2026

Did you know that eastern cottontails are the most numerous species that we receive in the WMC? So far in 2026, we have treated almost 300!

Enjoy this video of a recent cottontail release! Believe it or not, cottontails are independent from their mother at only four weeks of age, when they are about the size of a tennis ball!

06/15/2026

For this week's , meet Mayumi! Mayumi is a rising second-year veterinary student and Junior Co-Chair at the Wildlife Medical Clinic.

Before attending veterinary school at UIUC, Mayumi worked in wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary specialty practice where they fostered their love for wildlife and medicine.

Mayumi joined the WMC last year at the beginning of veterinary school to improve their clinical skills and decision-making while working to serve the native ecosystem of Illinois. Being from out of state, Mayumi enjoys learning about the differences in native wildlife from their hometown Los Angeles, California, from Colorado where they did their undergrad and graduate degrees, and Illinois where they now reside to attend veterinary school. They are very excited to grow more confident in their triage and clinical skills and help spread the love of wildlife.

Mayumi is one of our all-time favorite people, and we are so glad they made their way east to Illinois!

06/13/2026

Have you ever had a feathered friend hit your window and did not know what to do? Take a look at the article below to learn what we can do to help these guys out when a window may get in their way!

Join us as we discuss bird window strikes. What can you do to prevent these at home and how to help an injured bird you may find.

06/12/2026

You definitely want to take a peek at this ! 👁️

Did you know that red-tailed hawks have extraordinary eyesight? Red-tailed hawks have remarkable eyesight, several times sharper than a human's. They can detect small prey from great distances and can see ultraviolet light, which may help them locate prey by revealing trails invisible to humans. If you spot a red-tailed hawk in the wild, there's a good chance it noticed you long before you noticed it!

06/11/2026

It’s time for another Thursday !

Adult barred owl 26-542 presented to the WMC on May 1st after being found on the side of the road with a broken left leg. Upon initial examination, our team identified a left tibiotarsal fracture and went to work on placing a splint and administering pain medications to stabilize the patient until further radiographs and surgery a few days later.

On May 3rd, anesthetized radiographs were performed to further evaluate the extent of the fracture and help plan for surgery. That same day, this patient underwent surgery to place an implant in tibiotarsal bone stabilize it until it could heal.

After multiple weeks with the implants in place, as well as pain management, antibiotics, pin site cleanings, and monitoring, BDOW 542 is healing well and has begun the process of implant destabilization, to slowly transfer the weight load from the surgical implant to the bone. We’re hoping to get the implant completely removed this week so that he can continue to get his leg strength back and return to full health!

Enjoy this photo of our barred owl patient still sleepy after recovering from his surgery on May 3rd. 💤