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| DEC Urges New Yorkers: If You Care, Leave It There May 27, 2020 10:00 a.m. |
DEC Urges New Yorkers: If You Care, Leave It There Public Cautioned Against Disturbing Fawns and Other Young Wildlife New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today reminded New Yorkers to appreciate wildlife from a safe distance and resist the urge to touch or pick up newborn fawns and other young wildlife. Human contact with wildlife can carry unintended consequences detrimental to the creatures people intend to help. "In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, New Yorkers are spending more time at home than normal and some are seeing more young birds and other wildlife as a result," Commissioner Seggos said. "At this time of year, people are more likely to see a young rabbit or a recently fledged bird in their yard and mistakenly think it needs help to survive. I encourage you to enjoy encounters with wildlife from afar and avoid approaching or touching the animal. Remember, if you care, leave it there." During the spring months, animal sightings and encounters are common. Young wildlife quickly venture into the world on wobbly legs or are unable to fly on their own. While most young wildlife learn survival skills from one or both adult parents, some receive little or no care. Often, wild animals stay away from their young, especially when people are present. For these young animals, the perils of survival are a natural part of life in the wild. Unfortunately, well-intentioned individuals may attempt to care for young wild animals they believe to be abandoned or in need of assistance. These human interactions typically do more harm than good. For example, white-tailed fawns are born during late May and early June. Although fawns can walk shortly after birth, they 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. If human presence is detected by the doe, the doe may delay its next visit to nurse. Fawns should never be picked up. A fawn's best chance to survive is to be raised by the adult doe. Fawns nurse three to four times a day, usually for less than 30 minutes at a time, but otherwise the doe keeps her distance. This helps reduce the chance that a predator will follow her to the fawn. A fawn's protective coloration and ability to remain motionless help it avoid detection by predators and people. By the end of its second week, a fawn begins to move about and spend more time with the doe. It also begins to eat grass and leaves. At about 10 weeks of age, fawns are no longer dependent on milk, although they continue to nurse occasionally into the fall. DEC also reminds the public that young wildlife are not pets. Keeping wildlife in captivity is illegal and harmful to the animal. Wild animals are not well-suited for life in captivity and may carry diseases that can be transferred to humans. Anyone that observes wildlife that appear to be sick or behaving abnormally should contact their DEC regional wildlife office. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions about young wildlife, visit DEC's website. |
| Young buck fawn waiting for his mom. This young buck fawn doesn't need help. His mother will take care of him, and, in a couple of years, he will become a mature antlered buck providing a great experience for people lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him. Photo: Art Jacobson, retired DEC biologist |
