A reminder to leave young wild animals alone
Seeing young animals such as fawns, ducklings, rabbits or songbirds can be exciting, but there are reasons to leave them alone, even if they appear helpless or lost.
In the majority of cases, these young animals are not abandoned or deserted, and the mother is nearby watching. Young animals and birds are purposely placed into seclusion by their mothers to protect them from predators. As an example, young deer or moose are virtually odorless making them less likely to be located by a predator.
Anytime a young wild animal comes into contact with humans, its chance for survival decreases significantly.
Wildlife may also carry and transmit infectious diseases to people, such as rabies or West Nile Virus.
It is illegal to take wild animals home. Only wildlife rehabilitators are licensed to care for orphaned and injured animals. They are trained to make sure animals are given appropriate care and nutrition so they have the best chance of survival when they are released back into the wild.
Saskatchewan conservation officers want to emphasize a simple message to well-intentioned people who want to rescue what appear to be orphaned young animals this time of year – don’t touch them.
A young animal should only be picked up if the parent is found dead nearby, or in unnatural situations such as a young songbird found on a doorstep. In that case, the young bird could be moved to the closest suitable habitat.
To determine if a deer fawn is truly orphaned, please consider these indicators:
- Has it been lying in the same position for more than 10 hours?
- Is it vocal?
- Is it covered in insects?
- Is it wet? Being covered by the morning dew may indicate it has been there for a prolonged period.
If there are obvious signs of injury, or that it has been orphaned, contact a conservation officer.
Residents are also reminded to steer clear of adult wildlife, such as deer or moose that sometimes wander into urban areas. Large crowds will stress the animal, and this could lead to a dangerous situation.