Willowbrook Wildlife Center
Keeping the "wild" in wildlife - that's what Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn is all about. Volunteers work with native DuPage fauna and create a memorable experience for visitors at this wildlife rehabilitation and education center. Volunteer animal keepers prepare the many specialized diets and help keep cages clean. A group of interested volunteers also lends a special hand to staff as clinical assistants and raptor educators. Volunteer interpreters and community outreach volunteers teach youngsters and civic groups about the importance of living in harmony with the county's wildlife neighbors. They answer questions, explain exhibits and offer assistance to people dealing with wildlife dilemmas. Share your time with DuPage native animals and the people who appreciate them as a Willowbrook Wildlife Center volunteer.
Animal Keeper | Herpetology Volunteer | Intern | Interpreter | Junior Keeper | Junior Naturalist | Spring Veterinarian Technician Intern | Veterinarian | Veterinarian Technician
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Age Requirement | 18 years and older |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | Internships are available during the busy season, mid-April through mid-October. There are no internships available outside of the busy season. Please submit your application prior to March 15. |
Commitment | One year with minimum of 4 hours per week, must be same
4-hour shift each week. There is a morning and afternoon shift seven days a week. |
Description
Keeping the "wild" in wildlife - that's what Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn is all about. Volunteers work with native DuPage fauna and create a memorable experience for visitors at this wildlife rehabilitation and education center. Volunteer animal keepers prepare the many specialized diets and help keep cages clean. A group of interested volunteers also lends a special hand to staff as clinical assistants and raptor educators. Volunteer interpreters and community outreach volunteers teach youngsters and civic groups about the importance of living in harmony with the county's wildlife neighbors. They answer questions, explain exhibits and offer assistance to people dealing with wildlife dilemmas. Share your time with DuPage native animals and the people who appreciate them as a Willowbrook Wildlife Center volunteer.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Provide care for a wide variety mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Administer diets, adding prescribed supplements and medication to food.
- Assist with the proper placement of animals. Maintain cages and other animal enclosures.
- Assist with clinical care including administering medications, monitoring the health of animals, and completing medical records. Assisting with euthanasia when appropriate.
- Assist in checking on maturity, development, and recovery of animals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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Age Requirement | 18 years and older |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | None |
Commitment | One year with minimum of 4 hours per week, must be same 4-hour shift each week. There is a morning and afternoon shift seven days a week. |
Description
A Herpetology volunteer feeds, and cares for of a variety of wildlife at the Willowbrook Wildlife Center. Direction is received by District Staff. This is an unpaid volunteer position, which involves no payment of salaries, wages, compensation or other types of benefits..
Basic Responsibilities*
- Maintain indoor and outdoor animal cages.
- Administer special diets for amphibians, reptiles, and other animals.
- Feed animals according to species requirements and in methods determined by staff.
- Wash dishes, animal carriers, and towels.
- Maintain cages or equipment, such as monitoring environmental parameters (air, water and basking surface temp, water quality, humidity), and completing minor repairs.
- Assist with monitoring the health of animals, and completing medical records and progress notes of animals.
- Keep animal care areas, support areas, and equipment clean and well-organized.
- Assist with special projects.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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Age Requirement | 18 years and older |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | Internships are available during the busy season: mid-April through mid-October. There are no internships available outside of the busy season. |
Commitment | Five weeks, 16 hours per week, in lieu of completing the basic training for regular volunteer status |
Description
Individuals interested in becoming animal care volunteers but are unable to make a long-term commitment can still volunteer as interns as long as they fulfill the requirements. Interns follow an intensified course for the areas selected.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Provide care for a wide variety mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Administer diets, adding prescribed supplements and medication to food.
- Assist with the proper placement of animals. Maintain cages and other animal enclosures.
- Assist with clinical care including administering medications, monitoring the health of animals, and completing medical records. Assisting with euthanasia when appropriate.
- Assist in checking on maturity, development, and recovery of animals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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____________________________
Age Requirement | 18 years and older |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | None |
Commitment | One year with minimum of 4 hours per week, must be same
4-hour shift each week. There is a morning and afternoon shift seven days a week. |
Description
Volunteer interpreters work with visitors, teaching them about wildlife, natural history, and conservation. On weekdays in fall and spring, they typically spend time with school groups and children’s organizations, giving tours and special programs. The focus switches to casual visitors with some children’s groups on weekends and in the summer. Some may spend more time admitting animal patients and speaking with the public on the phone.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Assist staff with the development. Preparation, maintenance and implementation of educational displays using a variety of mediums to educate the public.
- Handle domesticated animals. Maintain their environment. Administer diets.
- Provide resources to the public and outside agencies.
- Interpret site actives and answer questions from the public.
- Keep general records.
- Assist with special events.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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Age Requirement | 13 – 17 years old |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | February 1, 2013 |
Commitment | May through August with one 4-hour shift each week during the summer. |
Lottery | In the event that there are more applicants than the program can support, a lottery may be used to determine which applicants will be accepted. |
Description
Junior keepers are youth volunteers who assist in animal care during the summer. Individuals may be invited back to participate a second year depending on past performances.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Provide care for a wide variety mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Administer diets, adding prescribed supplements and medication to food.
- Maintain cages and other animal enclosures.
- Monitoring the health of animals, and completing medical records.
- Assist in checking on maturity, development, and recovery of animals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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Age Requirement | 13 – 17 years old |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | February 1, 2013 |
Commitment | May through August with one 4-hour shift each week during the summer. |
Lottery | In the event that there are more applicants than the program can support, a lottery may be used to determine which applicants will be accepted. |
Description
Junior naturalists are youth volunteers who assist in public education during the summer. They learn informal teaching techniques for communicating with Willowbrook visitors. They also have the option to learn to present programs to groups and to help them study Willowbrook’s animal and plant life. Individuals may be invited back to participate a second year depending on past performance.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Handle domesticated animals. Maintain their environment. Administer diets.
- Provide resources to the public and outside agencies.
- Interpret site activities and answer questions from the public.
- Keep general records.
- Assist with special events.
- Assist staff with the preparation and maintenance of educational displays using a variety of mediums which educate the public.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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Age Requirement | 18 years and older |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | January 15 |
Commitment | 10wk of 40 hr/wk March to May. Exact days of the week will flex with clinic needs and will include periodic weekend days. |
Description
This position is designed specifically for vet tech students seeking class credit.
Volunteer veterinarian technicians work under the direction of Willowbrook’s staff, providing professional services to help injured wildlife of DuPage. They spend most of their time assisting with examinations and assisting with formulating initial diagnosis and prognosis on all animals for rehabilitation. With staff assistance, they may treat adult raptors, shore birds, and adult carnivores, such as raccoons and foxes.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Provide routine and emergency medical care to a variety of species of wildlife. Administer appropriate treatment.
- Assist with medical and surgical procedures.
- Assist with euthanasia and postmortem examinations as needed.
- Monitoring the health of animals, and completing medical and procedural records.
- Assist in checking on maturity, development, and recovery of animals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS*
- Current enrollment with completion of the 1st year a degree in Veterinary Technician Degree from an accredited institution.
- Possession of a valid driver’s license.
- Maintain and be in good standing with the appropriate Illinois professional veterinary licensure.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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Age Requirement | 18 years and older |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | None |
Commitment | One year with a minimum of 4 hours per week, must be same
4-hour shift each week. |
Description
Volunteer veterinarians work under the direction of Willowbrook’s staff veterinarian, providing professional veterinary services to help injured wildlife of DuPage. They spend most of their time performing initial examinations and providing diagnostic expertise as well as formulating initial diagnosis and prognosis on all animals for rehabilitation. With staff assistance, they may treat adult raptors, shore birds, and adult carnivores, such as raccoons and foxes.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Provide routine and emergency medical care to a variety of species of wildlife. Diagnose injuries and illnesses trough physical examinations and lab tests. Administer appropriate treatment.
- Perform medical and surgical procedures.
- Perform euthanasia and postmortem examinations as needed.
- Monitoring the health of animals, and completing medical and procedural records.
- Maintain medical and surgical equipment and inventory
- Assist in checking on maturity, development, and recovery of animals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS*
- Completion of a degree in Veterinary Medicine from an accredited institution, experience as a veterinarian.
- Possession of a valid driver’s license.
- Maintain and be in good standing with the appropriate Illinois professional veterinary licensure.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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____________________________
Age Requirement | 18 years and older |
Application Required | Yes |
Deadline | None |
Commitment | One year with a minimum of 4 hours per week, must be same
4-hour shift each week. |
Description
Volunteer veterinarian technicians work under the direction of Willowbrook’s staff, providing professional services to help injured wildlife of DuPage. They spend most of their time assisting with examinations and assisting with formulating initial diagnosis and prognosis on all animals for rehabilitation. With staff assistance, they may treat adult raptors, shore birds, and adult carnivores, such as raccoons and foxes.
Basic Responsibilities*
- Provide routine and emergency medical care to a variety of species of wildlife. Administer appropriate treatment.
- Assist with medical and surgical procedures.
- Assist with euthanasia and postmortem examinations as needed.
- Monitoring the health of animals, and completing medical and procedural records.
- Assist in checking on maturity, development, and recovery of animals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS*
- Completion of a degree in Veterinary Technician Degree from an accredited institution.
- Possession of a valid driver’s license.
- Maintain and be in good standing with the appropriate Illinois professional veterinary licensure.
Additional Requirements
- Complete the District volunteer application process.
For More Information
*For a complete Volunteer Position Description or to answer additional questions call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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Volunteer Safety at Willowbrook
An active risk-management program is in place to minimize hazards at Willowbrook. Preventative measures are taken to reduce risk of physical injury and exposure to disease. Volunteers are expected to comply with all safety precautions for the protection of themselves, co-workers, the public, and the animals.
It is recommended that volunteers check with their doctor about receiving a current tetanus inoculation, and inform their doctors that they will be volunteering with native wildlife as their doctors may have other recommendations. Volunteers who may be immunocompromised and women who are pregnant should especially inform their doctors of their volunteer responsibilities; their doctor may make recommendations to minimize their exposure to disease. The DuPage County Health Department offers this service for a minimal fee with an appointment.
For More Information, Call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681, or e-mail volunteer@dupageforest.com.
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