Leave Fawns in the Wild

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This fawn does not need to be rescued; its mother is probably feeding nearby. Photo by Jean Watson.

MONTGOMERY-Late summer is the time fawns are born in Alabama and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources reminds anyone who finds a fawn to leave it in the wild. Attempting to “rescue” these newborn fawns can actually be harmful to them.

During the first month or so after birth, does will leave fawns alone for several hours at a time. People who see the fawns may think they are lost or abandoned, but they are left alone for their protection. While the doe is feeding nearby, the fawn avoids detection from predators by hiding motionless in grassy areas. The doe will return to nurse the fawn several times a day.

“Only when a fawn is found injured or with a dead doe is there a reason to do something,” said

Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Director Chuck Sykes

Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Director Chuck Sykes

Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Director Chuck Sykes. “In most cases, the mother deer is nearby. Well-meaning individuals can actually be harming the fawn by removing it from its hiding place.”

Before picking up an injured or orphaned fawn, contact the nearest rehabber permitted to handle deer. A list of rehabilitators who are permitted by WFF is found at http://www.outdooralabama.com/current-wildlife-rehabbers.

Sykes reminds people that most wild birds and mammals, including fawns, are protected under the law and may not be legally taken from the wild or kept as pets. “Wildlife should remain where it is meant to be—in the wild.”

MEDIA RELEASE/Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

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