When you think of fish in a classroom, you may not be picturing fish tanks the size of hot tubs, complete with recirculating pipes, biofiltration, and chemical management systems, but that’s just what some students across the state get to experience.

For all these years the Wildlife Illinois website has served well, but it was beginning to get a little long in the tooth. Technology, design, and usability needed a refresh. Read more to discover the usage trends and design choices that informed the look of the newly updated Wildlife Illinois website.

Invasive plants are a big problem in natural landscapes in Illinois. These species can impact our native plant species and reduce the quality of habitat for wildlife. Managing invasive plants is a year-round endeavor but it pays to know what the right time is to conduct management to be most efficient and successful. Here’s the management activities best suited for springtime.

There really are not many animals that can conjure an almost universal fear and disgust in people like wasps do. But what if I were to tell you most wasps do not even possess a stinger and that this group of insects we call “wasps” provides some of our most necessary ecosystem services, from pest control to pollination?

In mid-February, two male ring-necked pheasants wandered through our yard on the north edge of town. As temperatures warm and days grow longer, rooster pheasants disperse across the landscape, establish crowing territories and begin behaviors to attract hens. The annual effort to maintain the species begins again.

Some years ago, it was shocking to learn that one of my favorite ornamental shrubs, burning bush (Euonymus alatus), is invasive. It took a while for this news to sink in, and after seeing it invade woodlands across southern Illinois, I finally came to terms with the bad news.

Teal are exciting ducks for bird watchers to observe, and they are among the top five duck species harvested by hunters in Illinois. Like other dabbling ducks, teals begin pair bonding in fall and winter, and their antics can be observed while they’re resting and feeding on shallow bodies of water during migration in Illinois.

Tallgrass prairie once covered 22 million acres across Illinois but just 2,000 acres of native, remnant prairie remains across the state. Illinois still has several tallgrass areas for us to explore. Take your binoculars and camera and look for a diversity of grassland wildlife within these areas.

Efforts in recent years to clean up the Chicago River system have led to increases in fish numbers and diversity in this waterway, but the environment still poses challenges to fish living in the river system. Do fish have the conditions they need to thrive?

Few outdoor sports activities evoke the raw thrill of bowfishing. It’s an unique blend of archery prowess and angler finesse, where enthusiasts aim not for trophies mounted on walls but for conservation and ecological balance.

After decades of river modifications, siltation and habitat loss, the Upper Mississippi River has become a major focus of ecological restorations in the Midwest. Not only is critical habitat on the river being saved and restored through the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Habitat and Restoration and Enhancement Programs, but these projects also promote a healthier and more resilient Upper Mississippi River ecosystem.

Due to their unique abilities and nocturnal nature, bats spark our curiosity and delight. Bat conservation is of interest to public and private landowners who want to help our night-flying friends. One conservation option is the use of artificial roosts to boost bat populations.

One of the best aspects about fishing, especially for new anglers, is that it is budget friendly. Despite what outfitters, tackle companies and hardcore anglers might have you believe, functional fishing gear can be purchased for the cost of an oil change or fancy haircut. With proper care, fishing gear including rods, reels and lures, can be used for decades.

When it comes to conserving pollinators, you can have your own diverse assemblage of wildlife on your property by building a “pollinator garden.” A bed with a small suite of colorful, flowering native plants will attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and even some colorful songbirds.

The bobcat is a charismatic species, shrouded in mystery and a species that challenges and captivates wildlife enthusiasts. Once rare in the state, the return of the bobcat to Illinois is a testament to the intricate dance between wildlife and the environment. Learn how volunteer reports from the public helped wildlife professions expand our understanding of bobcat populations and distributions.

The April sun was just revealing itself as the strangely shaped boat crawled past the Waukegan Harbor lighthouse. The captain rocked the throttle, and the engine responded with an increased roar and the building whine of a turbocharger. Inside the belly of the vessel, IDNR Lake Michigan Program biologists settled in for a 45-minute run to the first of two bottom set gill nets set as part of the annual Lake Michigan Spring Index Assessment.

Yes, wild babies are cute, and if you encounter one that seems abandoned you feel the need to help it. But intervening on behalf of wildlife babies can do more harm than good—and is against the law. The care of wildlife babies should be handled by the experts, their parents.

The Illinois Pollinators website developed by University of Illinois Extension is beautifully designed and provides a wealth of information about pollinators and starting your own pollinator garden. Divided into six main sections, you will want to spend time exploring this eye-catching and thought-provoking resource. Read on for a taste of what you can expect to find.

Ticks aren’t just a nuisance but also vectors for various diseases, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and alpha-gal syndrome. With the prevalence of tick-borne illnesses on the rise throughout areas of Illinois, monitoring tick populations is a crucial step in promoting public health and awareness. Community-engaged passive tick surveillance, and the INHS Medical Entomology Lab at the Prairie Research Institute is at the forefront of tick monitoring.

Dr. Robbie Emmet and fellow biologists at the Illinois Natural History Survey combined data from multiple bird surveys conducted within Illinois. They created a new statistical model that combined data from The North American Breeding Bird Survey, eBird, and targeted upland game counts conducted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to predict the effects of landscape composition on the occurrence of northern bobwhites and ring-necked pheasants throughout the state.