Learn about Bald Eagles in this episode of UNTAMED.   Wildlife Center staff members discuss the conservation successes of Bald Eagles, as well as the threats that eagles still face today, including lead poisoning and vehicle collisions. Buddy, the Wildlife Center's non-releasable Bald Eagle ambassador, is featured. 

Learn the reasons why keeping cats—domestic pets—indoors is better for wildlife, the cats themselves, and human health. Outdoor cats cause significant problems for wildlife and the environment; these cats also have shorter lifespans and are subjected to many more dangers than their indoor counterparts. Join Center staff, health experts, and a cat behaviorist to learn how we can fix this human-caused issue and keep wildlife, cats, and the environment safer.

 Learn more about the entire wildlife rehabilitation process that takes place at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, a hospital for wildlife that treats more than 3,000 wild animals each year. While the goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to restore wild animals to health and release them back into their natural habitats, it takes incredible efforts from many invested people to reach that goal. From the individual who cared enough to stop and find help for an injured wild animal, to volunteer transporters, wildlife rehabilitators, veterinarians who provide medical assistance, and more – it truly “takes a village” to help a wild animal in need.

Students perform an activity similar to the childhood “telephone” game in which each communication step represents a biological process related to the passage of DNA from one cell to another. This game tangibly illustrates how DNA mutations can happen over several cell generations and the effects the mutations can have on the proteins that cells need to produce. Next, students use the results from the “telephone” game (normal, substitution, deletion or insertion) to test how the mutation affects the survivability of an organism in the wild. Through simple enactments, students act as “predators” and “eat” (remove) the organism from the environment, demonstrating natural selection based on mutation.

Learn about the Virginia Opossum, the only marsupial found in the United States. Opossums may be common, but they are amazingly unique and adaptable creatures that can be found right in our own backyards. Host Ed Clark highlights a wide variety of special opossum adaptations and explains how simple changes in human behavior can help these animals. Meet one of the Center's education opossums, and hear outreach coordinator Alex Wehrung talk about how education ambassadors help the Center to elevate the effectiveness of our programs. UNTAMED looks at the wild and often perilous world of wildlife, as seen through the eyes of the patients of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, a non-profit teaching and research hospital for native wildlife.

Learn about the diverse group of passerines which we often call "songbirds." Millions of people worldwide identify themselves as bird-watchers and love spending time outdoors watching birds, whether on intense birding expeditions, or simply watching birds in their own backyards. But birds are under pressure and are presented with many human-caused dangers in their lives. Learn how our daily behaviors impact birds all over the world and learn what you can do to help songbirds.UNTAMED looks at the wild and often perilous world of wildlife, as seen through the eyes of the patients of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, a non-profit teaching and research hospital for native wildlife.

Learning about wild predators can help people peacefully coexist with them.The biggest, most carnivorous predators have been demonized throughout history, from the big bad wolf of children’s stories to the great white shark of cinema legend. Wildlife educators spend a lot of time dispelling myths and fighting fears, helping people and predators move from conflict to coexistence.Every corner of nature, from your backyard garden to the open sea, has its own food chain. Even the tiniest sprout has an important role in this circle of life, a sequence in which every organism is predator, prey, or both. For more information and classroom activities, please visit The Wildlife Center of Virginia and VPM UNTAMED websites

Entomologist Dr. Art Evans and VPM radio producer Steve Clark co-host What’s Bugging You? Their engaging, wide-ranging, and humorous explorations into the world of insects and entomology are presented as an animated series. It leans into the crazy, fun, and hilarious aspects of the insect world. It asks the question of when is a bug a true bug. How do I find those insects hiding in plain sight? What in the world is a booger beetle and a fecal shield? All these answers and more are uncovered in the new videos through artfully illustrated and accurate depictions of insects and their surroundings.

Each video captures the look of a field notebook, with handwritten observations and illustrations. Inspired by entomologists' collections, animator David Vinson shares, “I wanted the labels to have typewritten and handwritten text like you would see in a case of pinned insect specimens with notes and scientific names. As for the insects themselves, I wanted them to have the illustrative quality of a field guide. Even though it was all created digitally, I still wanted it to look like the elements could have been made by hand.”

Whether you love insects or you just don’t know you love them yet, we think you’ll enjoy this series. Not only is it fun, gross, weird, and strange, but it’s also educational and entertaining. You’ll learn more about the insects that are all around us as you stop and wonder “what’s bugging you?”

Learn about our wild neighbors – the animals that share space with and around us. While many people may want to create backyard habitats for wildlife, others may be uncertain about living near wild animals and have concerns about “nuisance” neighbors. Join Wildlife Center staff to learn what steps we can take to better understand the wildlife that lives around us, while minimizing interactions with our wild neighbors, to keep everyone safe in their preferred habitats.