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Adult Opportunities

Winter Wildlife ID and Tracking

Use animal tracks, signs, and knowledge of their behavior to identify local mammals.

Content Detail

Learn to identify the animals that live in northern Illinois all winter long by using the signs they leave behind: tracks, scat, gnawings, tunnels, and burrows. Though it is rare to spot mink, beaver, coyote, and deer in the Chicago region, it is possible to see signs of them throughout the woods and ponds. In this class, you will learn the names and habits of the mammals that call northern Illinois home in the winter. Search for and study their tracks as you walk the grounds, and see what you can learn about wildlife ID, animal behavior, and adaptations.

This program meets in person at The Morton Arboretum

Instructor: Nate Hambel, wildlife interpreter, Willowbrook Wildlife Center

Age: 16 and older

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Nate Hambel, wildlife interpreter, Willowbrook Wildlife Center

Nate Hambel is a wildlife interpreter at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where he educates visitors about urban wildlife, the center’s resident animals, and the rehabilitation of injured animals. With a master’s degree in biology, Hambel is an avid birder and outdoors person, leading programs and trips that help people connect with nature.

What to Know

  • Dress for extended time outdoors.
  • Plan to walk up to 2 miles on uneven and potentially snowy ground.

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