Nov 1, 2024
The osprey was listed as a state-endangered species in Illinois in 1997. It struggled to thrive following years of habitat loss and the degradation of waterways essential to their food source and nest site selection. In 2012, Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologists Patrick McDonald and Joe Kath designed a program to give osprey a boost in building a self-sustaining breeding population in Illinois.
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Like many states, Illinois has faced the challenge of dealing with invasive species and one of particular concern is the black carp. A bottom-dwelling fish, black carp are voracious predators of mollusks, posing a severe risk to native mollusk populations, and a threat to the fishing industry. Learn how state and federal agencies are working to address the threat of black carp in Illinois and other parts of the Mississippi River Basin.
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The Bats in Small Cities Project was organized to learn how urban bat ecology relates to the context of the city, specifically to learn how bats respond to their environment in a city with lots of tree cover versus one with little tree cover. Check out the findings here.
MoreNov 1, 2024
Determining what bats use an area once meant you had to have a good look at a small, quickly moving nocturnal species. But diagnostic features of the bat too often weren’t visible at that scale. Today, a passive sampling technique entailing the collection of guano allows researchers to observe and record species-specific information even if the animals aren’t seen.
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Recent studies suggest bobcat populations across North America are stable or even expanding in some locations, including Illinois. Bobcat research beginning in late 2022 and continuing through 2026 will provide the IDNR with information to support bobcat management.
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You may have heard about chronic wasting disease, or CWD, and wondered what causes it, who is affected, and what is happening to the white-tailed deer in Illinois. This article will decode CWD and discuss common and confusing myths about prion diseases, particularly CWD.
MoreAug 1, 2024
When we think about mosquitoes, it is often of the species that are common around our homes during mid- to late summer and which annoy us, and possibly transmit disease agents to humans or other animals. Yet there are nearly 70 species of mosquitos are present in Illinois and some species produce a single generation each year.
MoreAug 1, 2024
During the COVID-19 pandemic, conservationists and wildlife managers discovered that humans were not the only species affected by this virus. Across the country, detections occurred in animals, such as lions, tigers, gorillas and hyenas. This prompted the questions: how are these animals being exposed to the virus and do wildlife play a significant role in these transmission routes? Across all the zoos and aquariums that took part in the surveillance project in Illinois, no detections of an active infection or antibodies indicating a prior exposure.
MoreAug 1, 2024
At the mention of ‘pasture’ your mind’s eye likely visualizes a tranquil grassland complete with cattle grazing on lush grasses. But focusing on the vegetation you might be surprised to learn that much more is taking place. On Illinois Department of Natural Resources sites throughout the state, conservation agriculture practices are utilized to benefit wildlife populations and their habitats.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Native bees have evolved alongside the local flora and fauna, creating mutually beneficial relationships with native plants and maintaining biodiversity. As they pollinate plants, they help propagate a wide range of species, from trees and shrubs to wildflowers and grasses. This, in turn, supports birds, butterflies and mammals which depend on these plants for food and habitat. Researchers are now working to understand the diverse assemblage of native bees that rely on Illinois wetland communities.
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A message from Chief Mike McClelland
Welcome to the November 2024 edition of the online magazine OutdoorIllinois Journal, featuring timely, seasonally based stories about the Prairie State’s wildlife resources, with an expansion of content to include a broader range of subjects—including endangered and threatened species and Illinois’ unique, high-quality habitats and the people working to preserve, protect and manage these resources.
