Spring has started to make an appearance in the Adirondacks, and with it, baby animal sightings are on the rise! While they may be cute, the DEC has sent out a reminder that the best way to care for young wildlife is to leave them alone, and the best way to interact is by taking photos from a safe distance.
Human Interactions Do More Harm than Good
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos is reminding New Yorkers to appreciate wildlife from a distance and resist the urge to pick up newborn fawns and other young wildlife.
“When young wildlife venture into the world, they may have a brief inability to walk or fly on their own, making some people believe they might need help,” Commissioner Seggos said. “However, young wildlife belongs in the wild and in nearly all cases, interaction with people does more harm than good to the animals.”
Take Only Photos
When people encounter young wildlife, they are likely not lost or abandoned, but purposely left there by their parents to keep them hidden from predators while the adult animal is nearby collecting food for the newborn.
White-tailed deer fawns are a good example of how human interaction with young wildlife can be problematic. Fawns spend most of their first several days lying still in tall grass, leaf litter, or sometimes relatively unconcealed. During this period, a fawn is usually left alone by the adult female (doe), except when nursing. People occasionally find a lone fawn and mistakenly assume it has been abandoned, which is rare. Fawns should never be picked up! A fawn’s best chance to survive is to be raised by the adult doe. If human presence is detected by the doe, the doe may delay its next visit to nurse.
If You See an Injured Animal
If you spot an animal with an obvious injury, the best thing to do is call a wildlife rehabilitator. Wildlife rehabilitators are trained volunteers licensed by DEC. They are the only people legally allowed to receive and treat distressed wildlife because they have the experience, expertise, and facilities to successfully treat and release wild animals once rehabilitated.
Remember, young wildlife are not pets. Keeping wildlife in captivity is illegal and harmful to the animal. Wild animals are not well-suited to life in captivity and may carry diseases that can be harmful to humans.
If you see some baby animals this spring, enjoy the moment, but remember: the best way to care for them is to take some cute snapshots from a safe distance.
