Young wild animals that you find in yards, woods or fields have not been abandoned by their parents. Wildlife parents do not stay with their young all of the time. A doe visits her fawn only to nurse it. And baby birds found on the ground are usually learning to fly. The parents are nearby, still feeding and protecting them.
People sometimes think these baby animals are orphans, and try to rescue them. But taking an animal from the wild usually means its doom, and sometimes danger for you. Most of these animals will die within a few days since no person can care for a young animal as well as its own parents can. Those that live are usually unable to care for themselves if returned to the wild and can become a nuisance to humans. Not only is taking young wildlife from their homes bad for the animals, it’s often illegal to possess them.
There's a common myth that wildlife will abandon their young if they have been handled by people. Actually, the young will be cared for if they are returned to the site before the parents give up searching for them.
So this summer if you find wildlife waifs that look lost and alone, leave them where they are. Their parents are probably nearby, anxiously watching you!
Keeping Wildlife Wild
Resist the temptation to adopt a wild baby animal that you think has been orphaned. Here's Why:
- Baby animals are rarely abandoned. The wildlife parent is afraid of people and will retreat if you approach.
- If the baby animal is left alone, the parent will usually return. Parent animals cannot constantly attend their young, as they often spend hours each day gathering food.
- Wild animals, if they are able to survive in captivity, often require highly specialized care. Without such care, they will remain in poor health and may eventually die.
- As wild animals mature, they become dangerous to handle and damaging to property.
- Animals are better off in their natural habitat where they are free to reproduce and carry on their species.
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