The Wilds is one of the largest and most innovative conservation centers in the world, offering diverse training programs for early career professionals. Wildlife facilities include a Hellbender Conservation Center, American Burying Beetle breeding center, and the Conservation Science Training Center which includes a population genetic laboratory. The Wilds has nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed mineland and remnant forest patches that present multiple opportunities for field research and restoration of wildlife populations. The Wildlife Ecology department has four focal priorities: Eastern Hellbender head-starting and conservation; American Burying Beetle reintroduction; Inventory and monitoring of wildlife across The Wilds; and Conservation genetics and environmental DNA for wildlife