Category: HawkTalk

WMC Manager Exit Interview

American White Pelican being positioned for radiographs.

We sat down with our previous senior manager, Riley Dunwoody, and asked her a few questions to reflect on her time in the Wildlife Medical Clinic and her plans for the future as she enters her last year of Veterinary school.

What inspired you to be a manager at the Wildlife Medical Clinic?

My main goal when applying to be a student manager was to continue to contribute to the community of the WMC and do what I could to make it the best experience for our volunteers, especially our students. I wanted to be someone people could go to for knowledge and community and be a friend for anyone that walked through the door.

As a manager, what was your favorite part about working in the Wildlife Medical Clinic?

I loved being able to work with every student who walked through the door. It was always so interesting to see the differing goals and future career plans that everyone comes with. I also loved being able to see how students’ confidence increased over the years with their handling of animals, creating treatment plans, and triaging the animals that come into the clinic.

What has been your favorite case during your time as manager?

My first summer in the clinic we had a barred owl come in with severe eye trauma, which left it blind in one eye. I was able to perform its eye evisceration (eye removal) surgery to ensure that the owl would be releasable in the future. I was later able to release this owl once it had healed from its surgery and was reconditioned and ready for release.

What are your favorite animals that came into the clinic?

I loved whenever we got opossums in the clinic, and I also really liked the barred owls.

How has working at the Wildlife Medical Clinic helped you as you transition into your clinical year?

It has definitely helped me adjust to the pace of clinics. It has helped with my confidence in handling all different species, as well as my confidence in creating treatment plans, and my general veterinary knowledge. It has also helped with my ability to present my cases to the faculty and with speaking to all the clients.

Spiny Softshell Turtle being examined by a Veterinary Student.

What are your career goals after graduation? What are your future plans after graduation?

My goal is to go into zoological medicine. After graduation I plan to go into a small animal rotating internship, before doing at least one zoo specialty internship before going into a residency.

What is one thing you’d like more people to know about the Wildlife Medical Clinic?

I think the main thing I want people to know about the WMC is the community that we have worked hard to create. The clinic is important to help with technical skills early on, but more importantly it is a place to find like-minded people and work closely with them. I have made many of my close friends through this clinic and they are people I know I will continue to have in my life as friends but also as colleagues for many many years to come.

We want to thank Riley for all the hours she dedicated to the Wildlife Medical Clinic. We miss seeing her around the clinic but are excited to see where she goes and all the cool things she does after graduation! Good Luck, Riley!

Written By: Zoey W., Class of 2028

The Incredible Virginia Opossum

Virginia Opossum staring forwards with left foot raised as it was walking.

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) has 50 teeth, a prehensile tail, opposable thumbs, can play dead to escape predation, is resistant to most native venomous snake venom, but is incredible for so many more reasons than the ones just listed. Virginia opossum, out of the 126 species found in the Americas is the only marsupial animal known to inhabit the United States. The word marsupial is used to describe an infraclass of mammals whose members are born incompletely developed and are typically carried and suckled in a pouch on the mother’s belly until they are developed/mature enough to exit the pouch.

Nocturnal and Omnivorous

The breeding season for Virginia opossums in Illinois tends to be from late January to February, with many adults breeding a second time in May. Opossums are nocturnal omnivores, both used to describe their behavior meaning they are mostly active at night and are known to eat both plant and animal matter.  These critters can be found in woodlands, near streams, brush or urban areas and are known for their climbing skills.

Nature’s Clean Up Crew

Young Virginia Opossum in hospital enclosure with food and water.

Not only is this marsupial incredible for adding diversity to the United States wildlife landscape as the only ambassador for its kind, but these animals are known for the roles they play in their ecosystem. As discussed previously, opossums are omnivores and a part of their diet includes such things as ticks. As an opossum walks through the woodlands where they live, ticks most likely begin to accumulate along the opossum’s body to take a blood meal, little do they know the opossum will soon begin to groom itself, and the ticks just made themselves an easily accessible snack to their host. Not only are these opossums ridding their environment of these pests, but also the infectious diseases these pests may carry, most endemic in this area would be lyme disease, but anaplasmosis and babesiosis can be considered as well.

The opossum is a poor quality host to these infectious diseases, meaning although the ticks who feed on them may be carrying these infectious diseases, the opossum has not been found to have contracted these diseases. Rabies is an important infectious disease that is also unlikely to be found in the opossum, due to its low core body temperature.

Importance in the Environment

In conclusion, the Virginia opossum is an incredible nocturnal animal, so their evening activities should not bother any outdoor day time activities, but they can also help to rid your yard of infectious disease carrying pests (that can transmit disease to your pets). If you happen to cross paths with one of these creatures, consider yourself lucky that they are in the area you are in, and let them go on their way as they have important business to attend to.

Written By: Sofia D., Class of 2026

The Importance of Enrichment in Wildlife Patients

Golden Eagle perched on an astroturf covered perch looking behind its back.

Enrichment, What is it?

Wildlife patients seen at the Wildlife Medical Clinic are very different from other patients typically seen in veterinary medicine. While most patients enjoy interacting with vet staff, our wildlife patients would prefer to be as far from us as possible. And we prefer that as well, as too much interaction with humans can make them too friendly or habituated causing us not to be able to release them. However, many patients in the clinic have long stays while they heal broken bones, damaged shells, or are orphaned animals waiting to grow and be large enough for release. While they are in our care it is important to make sure they are mentally and physically stimulated. We do this through enrichment, in the animal care setting enrichment is anything you provide for a patient that lets them use their natural instincts. Enrichment improves our patient’s quality of life during their stay by keeping their mind and body active.  

Why Offer Enrichment?

Ensuring our patients have plenty of enrichment also benefits patients medically and prevents unwanted injuries. For example, an injured patient will be less likely to pick at its injury or bandaging if they have other items, they can interact with instead. Enrichment will be different from animal to animal, and species to species. For this reason, it is important for us to know the natural behaviors of the species we see.

Enrichment Examples

Three juvenile Eastern Gray Squirrels huddled together in a knitted pouch.

In our clinic we make sure that each patient is properly enriched. Some examples are that each patient room has a sound machine that plays audio that they would hear in the wild. Some of these clip recordings sound like a rainstorm, a babbling brook, or even the sounds of insects and frogs calling. This helps keep our patients’ stress levels low and decreases the amount of human noise they are hearing. Another example would be that our bird patients, like Red-tailed hawks, are provided with perches of varying degrees of thickness. This is important for their foot health, but also provides them with multiple options for perching, which is a natural behavior for this species. If you were to look at our turtle enclosures, you would see that many of them have foliage, hides, substrate suitable for digging, humidifiers and swimming areas. This helps simulate a natural environment for them to heal in.

Enrichment is more than creating a natural environment for patients to heal in. For many patients, especially crows, enrichment looks like getting puzzle feeders. Crows are highly intelligent animals and stimulating them mentally helps keep them active. They enjoy figuring out how to get food out of puzzle feeders, or out of dog toys like kongs. Raccoons enjoy similar enrichment items, and can enjoy hammocks, and shallow pools of water. Some patients, like goslings and ducklings that live in groups, enjoy mirrors. This gives them the illusion that there is a group of them or that they have a buddy if we only have one of that species currently in the clinic, making them more comfortable in a rehabilitation setting. Other orphaned animals benefit from enrichment too, rabbit kits and squirrel kits are provided with multiple hides, stuffed animals, and blankets or bedding to burrow in. No matter the species, we want to ensure that they are properly enriched during their stay at the wildlife clinic.

In Conclusion

No matter the species, we want to ensure that they are properly enriched during their stay at the wildlife clinic. This article outlines a few examples of enrichment that we provide for wildlife species. It is important to remember that in a wildlife clinic, we want to provide them with opportunities to exhibit their natural behaviors but also minimize human interaction with the patient as this decreases stress and their likelihood of habituation. This is important as it ensures they stay wild and allows them to heal faster so we can get them back out where they belong, in the wild.

Written By: Maya Y., Class of 2026.

Domestic or Wild? The Snowshoe Hare

Damp Snowshoe Hare sitting in the grass with ears up.

Order Lagomorpha

Rabbits are often misidentified as rodents, but they actually belong to the taxonomic order Lagomorpha. Within this group are two families: Leporidae, which includes rabbits and hares, and Ochotonidae, which includes pikas. Among these animals is a species closely tied to winter landscapes in the northern United States due to its remarkable seasonal transformation. Today, I want to highlight the snowshoe hare, an animal whose biology and ecology make it both fascinating and vulnerable.

Snowshoe Hare Information

Snowshoe hares inhabit boreal forests across Alaska and Canada, as well as the Rocky and Appalachian mountain ranges in the United States, with populations extending as far south as Minnesota, Michigan, and Montana. These herbivores are named for their disproportionately large hind legs and feet, which are covered in thick fur increasing surface area allowing them to move efficiently atop deep snow. They breed throughout the spring and summer, with a gestation period of about one month, and can produce up to four litters per year with as many as eight young per litter. Unlike rabbits, which have altricial kits, snowshoe hare young, known as leverets, are precocial and are born fully furred and capable of running shortly after birth. As crepuscular animals, they are most active at dawn and dusk, relying heavily on acute hearing and camouflage to avoid predators.

Seasonal Color Change Makes Identification Tricky

One of the most striking features of the snowshoe hare is its seasonal pelage. During most of the year, their coat is a brown agouti color, but in winter it turns white, while the black tipped ears and white ventrum (belly) remain year round. This molt is triggered by changes in photoperiod and temperature, typically beginning in late September through October. The transition is gradual, and hares are often seen with a mixed, patchy coat for about a month. During this period, well intentioned members of the public sometimes mistake molting hares for abandoned domestic rabbits. Although the concern is understandable, capturing or handling these animals can cause significant stress and pose serious risks to their health. It is important for the public to recognize that a mixed coat during seasonal change is normal and that these animals should be left undisturbed in their natural habitat.

Troubling Findings from Recent Research

Recent research has added another layer of concern. A study spanning 44 years and nearly 4,500 hares, conducted by a collaboration between the University of Florida IFAS wildlife ecology and conservation department and ecologists in Canada’s Yukon Territory, suggests that snowshoe hares are beginning their molts later in the year. As climate change warms the environment and reduces snowfall in many regions, hares may no longer be fully white when snow arrives, increasing their visibility to predators. This is particularly troubling because snowshoe hares are considered a keystone species, supporting numerous predators especially during winter months when other protein sources are scarce. If their populations decline, the effects could ripple throughout the ecosystem, underscoring how closely their survival is tied to a changing climate.

Sources

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Snowshoe-Hare

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/12/11/250662/234095/Seasonal-coat-colour-moulting-phenology-of

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Snowshoe-hare-coat-color-during-molt-according-to-the-a-three-and-b-five-category_fig1_340724870

Written By: Toni K., Class of 2027

Rabbit Fever, People, and Pets

Adult Eastern Cottontail in grassy area.

Earlier this year, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District identified Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever, in several dead squirrels from the Champaign area. While Tularemia can affect people and animals, the lagomorph (rabbits and hares) and rodent populations are most susceptible to the disease. Both Eastern Cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) and Swamp Rabbits (Sylvilagus aquaticus) are native to the state of Illinois and could possibly act as sources of the disease.

What Is Rabbit Fever and How Does it Spread?

Rabbit Fever or Tularemia is a disease caused by Francisella tularensis, a gram-negative bacterium that is found in mud, dead animals, and water. Francisella tularensis can survive in the environment for about 4 months or up to three years in frozen meats, however, it is easily killed by disinfectants. There are two types of Francisella tularensis, Francisella tularensis biovar tularensis (Type A) and Francisella tularensis biovar holarctica (Type B). Type A is more harmful than Type B and is found in the North American region while Type B is less harmful and found in Europe and Asia regions.

Rabbit fever can be spread by direct contact with rabbits or other infected mammals via bite wounds, handling contaminated skin or paws, or in laboratory exposure. It can also spread via tick bites and inhalation of contaminated dust or soil. Additionally, it can spread through contaminated water and eating undercooked meat from an infected animal.

Signs and Symptoms in People and Pets

Tularemia can cause many different signs and symptoms depending on how the bacteria entered the body. The most common symptom in people is Ulceroglandular, which is caused by tick bites or after handling a contaminated animal. Ulceroglandular symptoms can be described as a formation of skin ulcers and swelling of lymph nodes in the arm pit or groin areas. Symptoms are also accompanied by a fever as high as 104°F.

Tularemia signs and symptoms in cats include fever, depression, appetite loss, and oral ulcers. Symptoms and signs in dogs include fever, loss of appetite, nasal and eye discharge, and abscess formation at the site of infection. Horses also exhibit signs of fever and depression, additionally they can show signs of trouble breathing, stiffness and swelling of the limb.

How to Prevent the Spread of Rabbit Fever

The spread of Rabbit Fever can be prevented in a multitude of ways, including the use of insect repellents, promptly removing ticks, wearing long pants and sleeves while outdoors, wearing PPE such as gloves and mask when mowing and working in your yard, and by avoiding drinking untreated surface water. Additionally, the spread of Rabbit Fever in pets can be prevented by limiting their exposure to wildlife, especially rabbits and rodents, and making sure that they are on Flea/Tick prevention year-round.

Many Eastern Cottontail neonates huddled together in their grassy nest.

Sources

Tularemia, U.S Centers for Disease and Control (2024, May 15th). Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/about/index.html

Deaths Reported in Several Area Squirrels, Tularemia Identified, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (2025, April 16th), Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://www.c-uphd.org/press-release/2025/deaths-reported-in-several-area-squirrels-tularemia-identified.html

Tularemia, Cleveland Clinic (2022, August 25th) Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17775-tularemia

Tularemia in animals, AVMA, Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/tularemia-animals#:~:text=Enlarged%20liver,How%20is%20tularemia%20transmitted?

Written By: Irene J., Class of 2028

Eastern Gray Squirrel 25-1701

Eastern Gray Squirrel in hand for a medical exam.

Initial Exam and Findings

Patient 25-1701 was an adult eastern gray squirrel that presented to the clinic on August 16th, for a possible head injury and abrasions. On examination, it was noticed that the patient had a broken incisor, but the extent of the damage was unknown. The patient’s wounds were lightly flushed, and the patient was started on anti-inflammatories and pain medication until radiographs could be performed to better assess its injuries.

Further Findings and Treatment Plan

On August 19th, the patient was sedated for a thorough exam and radiographs. On further examination under sedation, the patient was found to be missing a left upper incisor, with several healing abrasions on the rostral (front near the nose and mouth) aspect of the skull. Dental rads revealed a fracture of the remaining left incisor, but no evidence of a skull fracture was present. The patient was administered pain medication and was woken up from sedation. It was decided to allow the patient’s incisor to heal by second intent (or on its own) as the fracture did not extend to the skull or rear brachydont teeth and would theoretically heal over time. Due to the suspected head trauma which caused the broken incisor and abrasions, this patient was closely monitored and continued on a course of anti-inflammatories and pain medication through August 30th.

Ready for Release

On September 5th, the patient underwent a recheck examination, which they were sedated for so that we could safely and clearly see the patient’s teeth. Healthy intact incisors, with normal length and growth were appreciated, with no oral swelling or malocclusion. At this time, the patient was off all medication, given a clean bill of health and was cleared for release. The following day, it was transport back to the area where it was initially found and released back into the wild.

Written By: London W., Class of 2028

A Troubled Turtle

Eastern Box Turtle sitting on an exam table. Aural abscess visible on left side of head.

Eastern Box Turtle 25-611

Meet 25-611, a male eastern box turtle. He came to us with an aural abscess–an issue commonly seen with turtles of multiple species, as well as some early warning signs of respiratory issues. Fun fact: the word “aural” means related to the ears, though it is pronounced almost identically to “oral”, which can cause confusion.

After spending a bit of time with us, it became obvious that this turtle was dealing with a serious respiratory infection. He was intermittently struggling to breathe, and symptoms were exacerbated when he was not at rest. Further evaluation was conducted with radiographs of his lungs, which showed signs of pneumonia.

Before we could fix his ear, we had to address his respiratory infection. He was started on a protocol of antibiotics and pain medication. After about two weeks on medication, we saw some improvement. However, discharge was seen coming from his left nare and eye, which indicated there was a blockage on that side called a rhinolith. Once he was stable enough for anesthesia, we were able to surgically remove the rhinolith along with the aural abscess.

So What’s Up with Aural Abscesses?

Aural abscesses in turtles happen when the turtle doesn’t get enough Vitamin A over a long period of time. Both wild and captive turtles get their Vitamin A from what they eat, but wild turtles don’t get vitamin supplements the way a pet might. When they develop a Vitamin A deficiency, their skin and mucus membranes near the ear start to change. The tissue overgrows and transforms into big clumps of dead cells that eventually become infected, interfere with the tympanum (the eardrum), and can even erode bone.

Once an aural abscess forms, it isn’t considered an emergency on its own, but it does require surgery to fix. Ongoing care is also needed to manage pain, treat any remaining infection, and possibly provide nutritional support.

Not Out of the Woods…

Luckily, 25-611’s aural abscess wasn’t particularly severe or complicated, and his surgery went well. Unfortunately, the surgery did not resolve all his issues. For a while, it looked like he was better. With his ear fixed and healing, his nose unplugged, and support from antibiotics, he gained weight and was breathing more normally.

Eastern Box Turtle exploring outside next to a side walk.

In August, after two months, his lungs looked clear on imaging and his clinical signs had improved so much that he was taken off of medication entirely. Two weeks later, he was given one final check and appeared to have completely recovered from his pneumonia, so he was approved for release. Unfortunately, on the very same day that we planned to release him back to his home, his respiratory signs returned.

Strangely, though, they were a bit different this time. His x-ray images still showed that he was free of pneumonia, but his breathing would still intermittently be heavy, especially after exercise. We placed him back on two different antibiotics, and also pursued more aggressive diagnostics. We performed a lung wash, where a small amount of fluid is used to collect a liquid sample of whatever germs may be in the lungs. We also did a test for several important turtle pathogens. None of these provided any answers.

25-611 improved greatly and was off antibiotics, but release was not an option regardless as it was too late in the season and he would need to be overwintered and released in the spring when temperatures warmed up. We decided to proceed with high resolution CT imaging to confirm the pneumonia had cleared up and just to make sure there wasn’t anything that simple x-rays might have missed. Nothing new was found on the CT scan so we continued with the supportive care and closely monitored him over the winter months.

Approved for Release

Over the winter, 25-611 continued to improve and his appetite and weight increased and no further respiratory issues were noted. We just needed the temperatures to increase and stay consistent so 25-611 could be released back into the wild. After nearly a year in our care, patient 25-611 had a clean bill of health, was in great body condition, and the weather was finally suitable for release back into the wild!

Written By: Alex W., Class of 2028

Illinois Threatened and Endangered Species

Ornate Box Turtle walking on gravel with head barely extended.

Since joining the Wildlife Medical Clinic at the University of Illinois I have learned a lot about common species found in Illinois, anatomical differences in these species, and medical efforts to help them heal. It has been an amazing opportunity to learn more about wildlife but prompted me to learn about who else is helping and protecting these animals in Illinois.

How is Illinois Helping these Vulnerable Animals?

Different organizations are responsible for keeping tabs on how our natural resources are preserved. Conservation efforts continue in Illinois. From my research I have found that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board (ESPB) play a crucial role in identifying and protecting endangered and threatened species in Illinois. Specifically, the ESPB continues to revise and review the Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Species as things change, but a confirmed list comes out every five years, so I will continue to watch for that. The IDNR is the resource to go to for advice on conserving these species. Scientists and conservationists are working to protect and recover endangered and threatened species through various projects involving habitat restoration, research, and public education.

One Species Close to My Heart

One specific member of the threatened species list in Illinois that I have seen multiple times is the ornate box turtle, Terrapene ornata. They are quite small, only averaging four to five inches. Their shell is dark brown or black with yellow lines radiating like starbursts, anatomy of a hinged lower shell allowing them to hide themselves completely inside of it, and four toes on each hind foot.

Their species name has turtle in it, but they are solely terrestrial, living on the prairies of both northern and southern Illinois. They nest in sandy soil, digging a shallow nest where they lay 2 to 8 eggs once per year, but for about 30% of the population, twice per year. They can also be seen making burrows to avoid the summer heat and the cold winter. Their diet is similar to most turtles consisting of plant material, insects, worms and carrion or dead animals. Conservationists have found the main reasons for the decline in the population are habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal collection for the pet trade, and vehicle collisions. With slow reproductive rates, it makes it difficult for their population to recover from these threats.

What Can You Do to Help Threatened and Endangered Species?

  • Help to restore native habitats, you can start in your backyard by being a Habitat Helper.
  • Plant Native to support local wildlife.
  • Minimize chemical use and if you must use them, follow the label.
  • Join Citizen Science Projects
  • Report rare sightings, by using the IDNR E&T Reporting Tool
  • Support your local licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, volunteer your time cleaning up a stream or nature area, or visit a state or national park (fees to enter go back to conservation).
  • Donate to conservation efforts. One easy way is to purchase conservation licenses like state hunting , fishing, and federal duck stamps, or specialized outdoor plates as these help fund land conservation which protects species.

Written By: Katherine M., Class of 2028

Wildlife Medical Clinic
John A. Coyne South Clinic
2100 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
217-244-1195
College of Veterinary Medicine