Wildlife Discovery Center

Welcome to the Wildlife Discovery Center 1401 Middlefork Drive Lake Forest, IL

Brochures From the Curator's Desk Open Hours Program Forms What's New History Meet Our Staff Reptile & Raptor of Month Animals at WDC How You Can Help

MISSION: “To promote and encourage a deep sense of love, respect, admiration, and stewardship of all wildlife and their habitat through education, conservation, preservation, rehabilitation, research, field studies, and outdoor recreation and adventure programs.”

 The Wildlife Discovery Center is a facility that promotes programs that are geared for people of all ages who have an interest in plants, wildlife and the environment. Education, recreation and responsible stewardship through real life experiences is the primary focus of this program. People will learn how important it is to respect the delicate balance between the needs of wildlife and the needs of other and how we all can exist together with a deep sense of respect for conservation of our dwindling and precious natural resources. Over 100 species, comprising of reptiles and raptors, represent our collection.

The “Grass Is Rattling” exhibit is now open to the public thanks for the wonderful support from TAP Pharmaceutical Products, Inc.. This exhibit features the nation’s largest public exhibit of rattlesnake in addition to many other venomous species including “Thai” the 14’ King Cobra! This spring over 1000 students will complete the Grass Is Rattling Conservation Education Program for Middle School Students. If your school is interested in participating, give us a call. We have received countless compliments on how wonderful the program is.

There is no fee to come into the main exhibit room featuring crocodilians, giant snakes, the rare Crocodile Monitor, the Alligator Snapping Turtle and a host of other reptiles.

A variety of programs/activities will be offered including wildlife education, field biology/ecology study programs, self guided nature hikes, wildlife ecology trips to various destinations in the Midwest, after school and weekend activities, family and special events, adult programs, workshops, field trips, school day off programs and volunteer animal caretaker opportunities, and more. Programs offered are for preschool, elementary, middle school, high school and adults.

Grass is Rattling Brochure (419k - 2 pages).

BROCHURES

To Download a Registration Form. (21k - 2 pages). To view the pages of the brochure see below for the PDF files of our  winter brochure.  

Winter Brochure Wildlife Discovery Programs (166k - 4 pages)
Winter Brochure Preschool Wildlife Discovery Programs (53k - 1 page)

Spring / Summer Brochure Wildlife Discovery Programs (151k - 4 pages)
Spring / Summer Brochure Preschool Wildlife Discovery Programs (68k - 1 page)

PROGRAM FORMS

Wildlife Trips - Profile Form (50k - 1 page)
Wildlife Trips - Code of Conduct (53k - 1 page)
Wildlife Trips - Medical Release Form (65k - 1 page)

“From the Curator’s Desk”

Welcome to the Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm’s web page! If you have never heard of us, let me briefly introduce you to a place that is home to some of the world’s most beautiful, endangered and spectacular reptiles and birds of prey. From common Illinois species to some of the most bizarre creatures on earth such as the venomous Rhinoceros Viper of Africa or the “Lizard of Mystery”; the Crocodile Monitor lizard from New Guinea; we’ve got it all! We even have the largest public display of live rattlesnakes in the U.S.! This new display, called the Grass Is Rattling, was made possible by a generous grant from TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. This new program and exhibit is a conservation education program about rattlesnakes and other wildlife, in addition to the rarity and complexity of the Middlefork Savanna, the finest, black soil tall grass savanna in the country, is also part of the exhibit. This education program is for 5th grade school groups, however, other grades can be incorporated too. It is our hope to make this web site fun, informative, educational, interactive and encourage our viewers to participate. If you ever have any ideas, please contact me at:

carmichr@cityoflakeforest.com or robertcarmichael@comcast.net

What's New

HISTORY OF THE WDC: OUR BEGINNINGS:

The Wildlife Discovery Center was founded by Rob Carmichael in the fall of 1996. He had a vision of seeing a large scale wildlife conservation education facility and program being run through the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Department. At the time, he was running a variety of athletic programs for the recreation department but deep down, wildlife was his passion (and is reflected in his academic background: A.S. degree in Biology, M.S. degree in Environmental Education, and currently working on PhD in Herpetology). In the mid 1990’s the Recreation Department underwent major construction to build a new fitness center, add additional dance studios and a new diner. This project left the old fitness room vacant (25 feet x 20 feet) and the Park and Recreation Board challenged the staff to come up with some ideas on this this space could be used. Rob Carmichael made a proposal to the Lake Forest Park and Recreation Board to start a new program area of Nature and Adventure. With the support of the Past Director, Fred Jackson, and the current Superintendent of Recreation, Wendy McKiernan, the board unanimously approved this concept with the understanding that it would not cost any tax payer money to operate. So, Rob began getting the word out and received a small grant in the amount of $500 from the Chicago Herpetological Society to purchase some cages for this new nature center. With 8 cages on display in this room, and a lot of drive and passion from the staff (who at the time consisted of just Rob), the Wildlife Discovery Center was officially “in business”. Our beginnings were very modest offering just a few after school classes and a small summer camp but 8 years later, this program now reaches over 20,000 people annually. Soon, the WDC outgrew its accommodations at the Lake Forest Recreation Center and it was time to start pursuing other options.

In November of 2003, the Wildlife Discovery Center, which had previously been housed at the Lake Forest Recreation Center, moved to Elawa Farm located at 1401 Middlefork Drive in Lake Forest, Illinois. This move was made possible by a public and private partnership consisting of The City of Lake Forest, Lake Forest Open Lands Association, Lake County Forest Preserve District and the Preserve of Middlefork Farm. Once the property was purchased by The City of Lake Forest, it was time to start visioning what could be done. The Elawa Farm Commission was formed and they began the task of raising funds and awareness to restore these historically significant buildings. This dedicated group represented a variety of organizations including the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation, Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Historical Society, School District 67, Lake Forest Open Lands Association, City of Lake Forest, Preserve of Middlefork Farm and the general public. For the past two years, the Lake Forest Garden Club has been restoring the formal gardens and the work they have done is truly inspirational; even if you are not a gardener, you can’t help but appreciate the magnitude of this project, the work they have done, and the spectacular views of many flowers, fruits, and vegetables being grown there. Our resident herbivorous reptiles certainly benefit as they get the leftovers of the produce that cannot be sold in the stores…YUM, YUM!

Elawa Farm was built and designed in 1917 by world renowned architects Alfred Hopkins and David Adler. Elawa Farm (which stands for Elsa and A. Watson Armour) is the last fully intact gentleman’s farm in the Midwest and will soon be on the National Historic Register. In 2003, we completed the first phase of the three phase restoration in order to relocate the Wildlife Discovery Center. And now, we have something so unique, that you will not find anything else like it in North America!

Our wildlife center includes zoo and museum quality indoor exhibits showcasing a variety of reptiles, amphibians and fish in natural looking habitats. Additionally, we converted our administrative office into a visitor center to allow for more wildlife viewing opportunities. This new exhibit, called “The Grass Is Rattling”, features the nation’s largest public exhibit of rattlesnakes! Additionally, we also have three outdoor bird of prey enclosures showing off our red tailed hawk, Harris’ hawk and a great horned owl. We feel that we have one of the most unique facilities of its kind. We don’t know of any other place in Illinois, or the nation, where you can see animals that you normally would only see in a large zoo but with the close up intimacy of a nature center allowing for close encounters…the best of both worlds. If that is not enough, we have over 800 acres of hiking/biking trails on the Middlefork Savanna; owned by the Lake County Forest Preserve District. Many bird watchers “flock” to this site to see many endangered species such as the Bob-O-Link and much more.

Our professional staff are called upon often to assist in various wildlife rescues that include reptiles and birds of prey. We do not respond to calls involving “nuisance” animals such as skunk, raccoons, and opossums (we do care about these animals but are not equipped to take the many calls that come in). Most of our rescues are limited to reptiles and raptors. We assist the USFWS, DNR, and local and federal law enforcement agencies in matters involving wildlife trafficking and we have our share of entertaining stories to tell (maybe for a future newsletter!).

In addition to our public displays, we offer a host of wildlife conservation education classes from preschool to adults. We host the annual Reptile Rampage event on the first Sunday of March which showcases some of the finest private reptile collections in North America. Bubba the world famous alligator (and his equally famous owner, Jim Nesci) are always on hand to show one of the most spectacular reptiles in the world. Admission is $5 and this event takes place at the Lake Forest Recreation Center located at 400 Hastings Road, Lake Forest, Illinois, 60045. All proceeds goes into our Wildlife Fund to help us operate.

If you are a teacher, scout leader, camp director, or some other coordinator looking to spice up your event or curriculum, look no further. We have something for everyone! Your group can either come to our farm, or, we’ll bring the zoo to your location! The Wildlife Discovery Center is also a great place to host your next birthday party! We can customize our presentations to meet your specific needs.

And if that is not enough, our facility offers many wildlife ecology trips for students in 6-12 grades. Trips include the Central Michigan University Biological Station on Beaver Island, Michigan, the Shawnee National Forest in downstate Illinois and our annual bald eagle trek to the Mississippi Palisades State Park. We also operate “The Ridge” teams and high ropes course and offer a host of outdoor education and adventure programs which include indoor and outdoor rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking and much more. If you have an adventurous spirit and would like more information on our adventure program or teams/high ropes course, contact Edward Gudas, Program Supervisor, at 847.615.4386. There is something for everyone!

Behind the scenes, our professional and knowledgeable staff ensure that our animals get the finest in care. We have as many animals off display as we have on display and they include venomous reptiles and several important captive breeding programs we are participating in including the rare, eastern Massasauga rattlesnake, the eastern indigo snake, the gila monster and blanding’s turtle. We are leaders in the industry in having been successful at captive breeding some of the world’s rarest as well as common but rarely bred reptiles (not to mention many exotic species such as green tree pythons, African bush vipers, Indonesian white lipped vipers, eastern indigo snakes, gila monsters and much more). We even hold several longevity records among U.S. zoos.

Meet Our Staff
Rob Carmichael, Curator of the Wildlife Discovery Center, founded the Wildlife Discovery Center in 1996 shortly after receiving his M.S. degree in Environmental Education/Biology from George Williams College. Currently, he serves as Curator and Director. He is currently working on his PhD program focusing on behavioral patterns of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. In addition to serving as Curator of the WDC, Rob also teaches part time (science methods and wildlife ecology/field biology) at Trinity International University, Deerfield, Illinois and coaches the baseball team. Rob has a passion for herpetology that started when he was just four years old. He also has a twin brother, Dr. Chris Carmichael, who is also a herpetologist and is a biology professor at Malone College in Canton, Ohio where he began a new major called “Zoo Biology” for those students wishing to have a career working at a zoo. An experienced professional in the field, Rob has successfully captive bred many rare reptiles in addition to staying on the cutting edge of reptile husbandry practices, however, as this field goes, he is continually learning new things and would never claim to be an expert; only the animals are!. Over the past six years, his efforts have concentrated on the Eastern Indigo Snake, Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake and the Gila Monster. He has also successfully bred over 25 species of reptiles including venomous species. Rob leads many workshops for zoo and museum professionals in matters involving reptile husbandry and proper venomous snake management. Over the years, he has consulted with several nature centers and zoos in assisting them in designing new facilities. He has also presented at such places as the International Herpetological Symposium, the Biology of the Rattlesnake Symposium, the International Symposium on Massasaugas, International Wildlife World Congress, Illinois Parks & Recreation Association’s annual conference, North American Herpetology Congress, American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and the Chicago Herpetological Society. Additionally, he lectures at area colleges, universities and zoos and museums.

As Curator, his duties are endless but include the overall direction of the WDC (budgeting, developing the program, serving on several boards/commissions, liaison with various school districts, hiring and training staff and volunteers, curriculum writing and development, writing the newsletter, field research, leading summer herpetology trips, exhibit design, and being in charge of taking care of the venomous reptile collection….just to start!). Never a dull day around here!

Rob is married to a woman who is Mayan Indian and she is a 5th grade teacher and they have two daughters who are competitive gymnasts, divers and dancers and budding herpetologists. At home, Rob has household pets including two Rottweilers, over 25 snakes, and a few other odd and ends. His family enjoys backpacking, hiking, camping, kayaking, rock climbing, bird watching, golf, baseball, and, of course, reptiles.

Edward Gudas, Program Supervisor, is also known as “Mr. Edventure” not only because of his adventurous spirit but also because he leads our many adventure and outdoor recreation programs. You may see him leading a rock climbing trip on one day and a kayaking clinic the next. Additionally, Edward coordinates The Ridge; one of the finest high ropes/teams courses around. It isn’t often that you get to design your own teams/high ropes facility but that is the challenge we gave Edward and we feel he has designed a facility that is second to none. All of the feedback we have received from groups have been entirely positive and, hopefully, as the word gets out, more groups will take advantage of this wonderful resource. Edward has a Bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Rec from SIU and recently completed a M.S. degree in Adventure Education from Aurora University. This shows Edward’s commitment to the field and he is going to be a leader in the field in no time. Edward is married and has done an outstanding job for us. In his spare time he enjoys the great outdoors (DUH!) and seems to have found his new favorite home away from home….QUETICO. Edward teaches some of our wildlife conservation education classes and has developed himself into quite a good reptile guy; watch out Jeff Corwin!

Lindy VanVlissingen, Preschool Nature Teacher and Wildlife Program Group Coordinator, is a self taught naturalist who has a burning passion for learning about the natural world…and she has the longest job title in our department! Her responsibilities are many and even include helping us care for our animals for which she does an outstanding job. Lindy is our Director of the Nature Detectives Camp which has grown to be a very popular program. She is also our primary instructor for our various preschool nature classes. After school, Lindy teaches two elementary aged classes and has created quite a name for herself as someone who is very knowledgeable about the environment. Her classes continue to fill up and we are now looking at ways to expand our classes so everyone can have a chance to be around Lindy. If you need to book a birthday party, scout group program, or other special group gathering, Lindy is the person to talk to. She graduated with a B.A. degree from Kenyan College. Lindy and her husband, David, live in Lake Forest and have three children.

Bryan Suson, Head Keeper at the Wildlife Discovery Center, graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Lake Forest College and currently serves as our Head Animal Keeper at the WDC. Bryan, like Rob, has a passion for reptiles that started in his youth and he made an immediate impact on our center when he first arrived. He brings a vast knowledge about reptiles to our program, and, in addition to taking care of many of our reptiles and raptors, Bryan also teaches many of our wildlife education classes, lectures to large groups, leads birthday parties and assists on our wilderness trips. Although Bryan has extensive knowledge about many types of reptiles, he is currently focusing his home collection on breeding two types: Panther Chameleons and Green Tree Pythons. He has quite an impressive collection and has accomplished much in his young career! Bryan completed our 3-day Venomous Reptile Management Certification Program and is now taking care of a number of our venomous reptiles including rattlesnakes, a couple of cobras and various viperids. Bryan’s success is no doubt related to his sincere passion for reptiles and knowing how to take that passion and share it with the general public.

When Bryan isn’t working or thinking about reptiles, he does have life “after scales”. He is quite a hoops player and even better hacky sack dude! His girlfriend is a budding herpetologist (I wonder why?). Many people also don’t know that Bryan, even at his young age, is an accomplished musky fisherman. His musky resume puts many older adults to shame and he is a leader in the area of this sport. The patience he has developed in musky fishing spills over to his role as animal keeper. When he completed an internship with us, one of his primary responsibilities was to develop a captive husbandry program for seven White Lipped Vipers that were born at our facility. Trying to coax seven baby vipers from Indonesia to feed is a daunting task! But, he did a great job in getting these babies to feed and they are now doing very well. Bryan has traveled to Australia and Costa Rica looking for herps….and he sure found quite a few!

Matt Campbell, Exhibit Consultant, is a full-time keeper at the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Reptile and Small Mammal House. He has been a valuable asset in updating our data files and incorporating some of the procedures used at an internationally recognized zoo at the WDC. He has helped us improve a number of our exhibits. Matt is a former board member of the Chicago Herpetological Society and has an extensive collection of reptiles at home. Although Matt isn’t here on a regular basis, you can’t miss him as he is usually the guy with the pony tail, long beard and a KILT (The WDC encourages individual expression and Matt sure enjoys wearing his well ventilated Kilts…thankfully, its not too breezy inside the WDC!).

Laura Hilstrom, Animal Keeper/Raptor Specialist, is a full-time aquarist/keeper at the world famous John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago! She has many responsibilities there and it’s always nice to have someone from a world renowned facility working for us on a part time basis. Although her expertise is fish, she has spent a lot of time working at raptor centers and her expertise in proper handling of birds of prey is a welcome asset to the WDC. She has also made spot appearances in our many classes and has done an exceptional job taking on these challenges. In addition to helping us out at the WDC, Laura also spends time assisting Barnswallow, a raptor rehabilitation/education center, with their many raptors that are in rehab in addition to their permanent education birds.

Nick Mancuso, Animal Keeper, also grew up in our programs and now, after doing a great job for us, is getting ready to head off to college where he hopes to pursue a career in herpetology . Nick just returned from an extensive Knolls trip to the Australian Outback….this guy is one tough dude! Nick is going to be sorely missed but the best part of my (Rob) job is that I get to see a young man, who literally grew up in our program, develop a profound passion for herpetology and go off to college to continue that pursuit. Nick is going to be a very successful person no matter what he decides to do.

We also have a talented group of volunteers and part time staff that include: Luke Bowman (part time assistant animal keeper), Jim Jacob (part time assistant animal keeper), Nicole Smith (Volunteer from Woodland’s Academy where she is a Senior), Madeleine Burnett (Volunteer from Libertyville High School where she is a Senior), and Laura VanVlissingen (camp counselor in our Nature Detectives Camp from Arizona State University).

Wildlife Discovery Center Hours and Self-Guided Tours

Fall 2007

Stop by and visit our amazing collection of animals. Each exhibit contains interesting information and we always have a staff on hand who will have a few animals out for you to enjoy, touch and hold! ADMISSION IS FREE, HOWEVER, DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED. Schedules vary from season to season so before you visit please call our information line at 847-234-6702, or, the Curator at 847-615-4388 (or email him at carmichr@cityoflakeforest.com )

Summer Drop in hours June through August (Closed August 13-24 for annual maintenance)

NOTE: We recommend calling 847-234-6702 (Wildlife Discovery Center info line on the Lake Forest Park and Recreation Department information hotline) prior to your visit. The building will periodically close for special events and hours may vary from season to season; particularly during the holidays. If you have a small group that wants to come, we recommend calling to confirm that the building is open prior to your visit.

Featured Reptile and Raptor of the Month! 

In this section, we will highlight one of our “family members” so that you can begin to learn about the many beautiful and unique animals that call the Wildlife Discovery Center their permanent home.

Raptor of the Month: “Humble” the Great Horned Owl

Humble arrived in 2000 where she have previously resided at Barnswallow. This owl was found in an abandoned nest with its brother and sister. It was later discovered that the mother and father were illegally shot to death. The birds were severely emaciated and dehydrated and while the other two were able to go back into the wild after a short rehab period, it was discovered that Humble had a severed tendon in her leg that would prevent her eventual release. Despite surgery to correct the problem, it didn’t quite work and she must spend the rest of her life in a captive setting. Thankfully, she has a great home at the WDC where our dedicated staff take wonderful care for her. Lindy has been Humble’s primary caretaker and is assisted by Rob (who is the primary handler) and Laura Hilstrom who is our raptor expert but is a full time keeper at the Shedd Aquarium. Dr. Ron Durante of the Algonquin Animal Hospital is our raptor veterinarian and he does a great job in keeping our birds in tip, top shape. Although Humble is very shy and wary around people, she is finally starting to come out of her hide box and sit calmly in front of people who visit. Humble resides in one of the outdoor raptor exhibits and you can always stop by and say hello. If you are quite she just may come out and say hello!....or, hooo, hooo!

Reptile of the Month: Eastern Hognose Snake

Our resident Eastern Hognose Snake came to us in 1998 as a result of an adult that was caught who subsequently laid eggs (the mother was released). The eggs hatched and the staff of the WDC had to rear 10 of these cute little hoggies. The problem was, this species of snake is a strict toad eater in nature and trying to keep toads on hand to feed is very difficult. So, we resorted to an old trick called “scenting” where we would rub a toad all over a dead baby mouse and try to trick the snake into thinking it was eating a toad. Most of the babies readily took to this method and now our resident eastern hognose snake LOVES mice straight up. He is a comical snake and this is one of the only snakes in the world that plays “possum” when encountered or harassed. If that doesn’t work, they will rear up like a cobra and hiss loud and jab its pointed nose at the intruder….what an acting job! Now that our “hoggy” is used to being around people, he doesn’t exhibit any of these comical traits but he still is one really neat animal. Eastern Hognose Snakes are found in the far northeastern part of Lake County by the Illinois Beach State Park in Zion. They are rarely encountered, however, as they spend most of their life underground (fossorial). Stop by the WDC and see our resident hognose snake!

Squirt the Eastern Screech Owl

Squirt has been with us for two years and he sure is one amazing bird. Although small and cute as a furbie, this small owl has a tenacious and bold personality but also very gentle towards people. Squirt came to us as a result of flying into a patio window here in Lake Forest. Now, blind in one eye, he was not able to be released so he now enjoys his permanent home at the WDC. Squirt was initially saved by Linda Breuer of Barnswallow who has provided us with two wonderful birds: Squirt the Screech Owl and Humble the Great Horned Owl.

What animals currently reside at the WDC?

Following is a list of the animals that currently reside at the WDC. We don’t always guarantee that a certain animal will be here when you visit because there are times where animals go to other zoos on breeding loans. Here’s our FAMILY:

Birds: Red-tailed Hawk, Harris’ Hawk, Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl

Turtles/Tortoises: Eastern Box Turtle, Blanding’s Turtle, Mississippi Map Turtle, Loggerhead Musk Turtle, Star Tortoise, Gopher Tortoise

Crocodilians: American Alligator, Dwarf Caiman, Spectacled Caiman

Lizards: Leopard Gecko, Blue Tongued Skink, Rhinoceros Iguanas, Crocodile Monitor, Black Throated Monitor, Black Roughneck Monitor, Veiled Chameleon, Giant Argentine Tegus, Gila Monster and the Australian Knob Tailed Gecko

Snakes: Rattlesnakes (25 species!...we’ll list them next month), Illinois’ four venomous snakes (Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Eastern Massasauga, Timber Rattlesnake), Gaboon Viper, Rhinoceros Viper, Sedge Viper, Puff Adder, Desert Horned Viper, Saw Scaled Viper, Bamboo Viper, Eyelash Viper, Bushmaster, Egyptian Cobra, Coral Cobra, Jameson’s Mamba, Eastern Hognose Snake, Garter Snake, Fox Snake, great plains ratsnake, smooth green snake, eastern milksnake, bullsnake, black ratsnake, everglades ratsnake, tiger ratsnake, sinaloan milksnake, rosy boas, transpecos ratsnake, amazon tree boa, brazilian rainbow boa, boa constrictor, burmese python, reticulated python, jungle carpet python, coastal carpet python, green tree python, borneo short tailed python, and the eastern indigo snake. King Cobra, Speckled Kingsnake, Tri-Colored Hognose Snake, Eastern Hognose Snake, Amazon Tree Boa, Great Lakes Bush Viper

How can you help?

We have many opportunities that you can help us out with. We do not receive any tax revenue to operate so we rely solely on the generosity of our community. If you are interested in making a tax deductible donation, contact Rob Carmichael at 847-615-4388 and he will give you information on how you can make a donation. Another great way to get involved is to sponsor an animal through our A.D.O.P.T. program (Animals Depend On People Too). For an annual fee of $110, you can have your name, family name or company name proudly displayed on the exhibit of your sponsored animal. You will receive a gift packet for your generous help.