About Us

Four baby rabbits on wood shavings, some green leaves and a small yellow flower in the foreground.

Who We Are

Our Mission

Iowa Wildlife Center (IWC) provides professional wildlife rescue, medical treatment, and rehabilitation for native wildlife in central Iowa. We champion wildlife and habitat stewardship and engage in public education and offer skills training for wildlife assistance professionals.

The Need

Most dogs and cats rely on responsible owners, veterinarians, and local shelters, wild animals have no such safety net. Every year, thousands of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians across Iowa are orphaned, injured, or displaced—most often due to human activity.

Threats like window collisions, vehicle strikes, outdoor cats, toxins, and power lines take a heavy toll. Compounding these "unnatural" dangers is the rapid loss of native habitat to development, alongside natural hazards like severe storms.

A great number of Iowans care about our wildlife and protecting their habitats. Many who find injured or displaced creatures would also like to give them a chance to be free and wild again. But to whom do they turn?

Our Intervention

Fortunately, many Iowans care deeply about protecting our wildlife and preserving their habitats. When people find an injured or displaced animal, they want to give it a second chance to live free and wild.

IWC bridges the gap where humans and wildlife connect. We provide science-based, ethical, and humane rescue, rehabilitation, and research for central Iowa. Beyond direct care, IWC delivers statewide wildlife assistance training for conservation professionals and volunteers, alongside public wildlife education for all Iowans.

For more even more information about IWC and WildWay, visit our History page.

Found an injured or orphaned animal? Please visit our FAQ page

Our Guiding Principals

Focus on native species

The Center focuses on the medical treatment, rehabilitation, conditioning and release primarily of native wildlife, with a special focus on native birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians and mammals of conservation concern.

Rescue and Rehabilitation

IWC offers professional wildlife rescue in central Iowa - if we determine that the animal does need to be rescued and that you cannot safely rescue it yourself, we will either send our own staff or try to locate someone near you qualified to capture the animal.

Collaboration

IWC works cooperatively with existing wildlife rehabilitation and education programs, strengthening each of our missions by doing so.

Professional & Scientific Standards

The Iowa Wildlife Center's work is be guided by several documents, including the following: the Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, a National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council cooperative project; A Wildlife Rehabilitator's Code of Ethics; and the Iowa Wildlife Action Plan.

Our Team

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Marlene Ehresman

Co-Founder & Executive Director
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Wildlife Care Manager & Executive Associate

Jenna Maag

Our Board

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A man with glasses and a beard smiling outdoors with green foliage in the background.

Terry VanDeWalle

Thomas Boes

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An elderly woman with short white hair, wearing a gray coat, standing outdoors in front of green foliage.

John Tillo

Elaine Thrune

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Kristen Clark