Environment DEC
From the March 2006 issue
Leaving Young Wildlife in the Wild...Where They Belong
Ducklings are ready to venture into
the world alone hours after hatching
The arrival of spring and summer also means the arrival of newborn and recently hatched wildlife who soon venture into the world on shaky legs and fragile wings. For all of these creatures, the perils of survival are a natural part of life in the wild. Unfortunately human intervention presents another peril. When well-intentioned people remove young wildlife from the wild, assuming they've been abandoned or orphaned, they imperil these animals even more. The truth is that wild animal parents must leave their offspring temporarily to forage for food, and they also will stay away from their young when people are near.
Early unsteady steps and flights are part of normal development, helping young animals learn to take care of themselves. Some quickly develop that ability, almost from birth. Other animals need more parental care. Seeing a fledgling crouched on the lawn, baby bunnies in the flower garden or a fawn lying alone prompts most people to want to "help," and that's when problems arise.
Leave Young Wildlife Alone
A doe will come back at night
to retrieve a young fawn
The average person does not really know how to care for young wildlife and actually jeopardizes their health and survival by attempting to nurture them. Even those young who do survive in captivity are generally left ill equipped to survive in the wild. This is because, among other things, they haven't learned to find appropriate food for themselves, their own species may regard them as intruders or their natural fear of humans has been reduced or eliminated altogether.
These potential problems and more can be avoided by following one simple rule when considering "rescuing" young wildlife-LEAVE THEM ALONE! Difficult as this may be, it is the greatest act of kindness you can show toward creatures of the wild. If you encounter a young wild animal that obviously is injured or orphaned (for instance, you know that its mother is dead), call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for advice and help.
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators
Wildlife rehabilitators are volunteers licensed by DEC, and they are the only people legally allowed to shelter and treat distressed wildlife. They have the necessary training and facilities for dealing with young abandoned or orphaned wildlife, as well as mature wildlife that have been injured. The ultimate goal of wildlife rehabilitators is to release healthy animals back into the wild where they belong.
To locate a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area, call the DEC regional wildlife office closest to you. Please note that not all rehabilitators can accept all species of wildlife. Rehabilitators must have a special license to care for certain animals like raccoons, skunks and bats because they are the most common carriers of the rabies virus.
