DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center

Traveling to the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center, I was greeted with kindness from one of the hosts that provided detailed information of what the center was all about. The DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center is located at 525 S. Park Blvd. in Glen Ellyn.

It is much more like an animal hospital, where it takes care of injured wildlife rather than pets. Parents truly enjoy bringing young children to explain how injured animals of the forest are treated, such as children watching staff perform surgery on a squirrel. This experience is a superior moment for children of all ages to learn what to do if they find a baby bird or cottontail hurt.

There are helpful tips for families and pets to co-exist with coyotes and opossums.

The animal admittance area and the visitor center are open Wednesdays 9 a.m. – noon and Thursday – Tuesday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. They're closed on Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

The center accepts most wildlife patients, but please call 630-942-6200 before arriving.

There's a suggested admission donation of $5 per person ages 3 and up.

The surrounding Willowbrook Forest Preserve is open daily from one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset. And there is a path providing a mile walk with information about young birds, fish, and animals.