If You Find a Fawn It’s Probably Not Abandoned

Sometimes the best intentions can lead to the worst outcomes. Especially when it comes to people finding young wildlife. In an attempt to raise awareness of the potential harm humans can cause to newborns, the Department of Environmental Conservation created a program, "If You Care Leave it There."

In the case of white-tailed fawns, late May through early June are when most are born, coinciding when we begin to get outdoors. For the first few days, a fawn will remain alone with the mother nowhere in sight. She returns to feed the baby 3 to 4 times a day for about 30 minutes. It's easy to see why people can think it's been abandoned, but that rarely is the case.

The same holds true for birds and rabbits, they spend the first 2 to 4 weeks of their life with the mother before adventuring on their own. If you do think newborns have been abandoned, contact the DEC or a Wildlife Rehabilitator. Attempting to raise an animal yourself is not only dangerous for it, but against the law.

SOURCE: Department of Environmental Conservation