Nesting season is a reminder to keep wildlife wild

By Roger Phillips, Idaho Fish and Game public information specialist It's nesting season for waterfowl, and people may encounter ducks and geese on nests or ducklings and goslings in neighborhoods, parks, ponds and other developed areas. It's fun and exciting to see wildlife among in cities, towns and suburbs, but people should remember they are protected wildlife that should not be disturbed. Even with good intentions, it's illegal to possess wild ducklings or goslings. With many homes built near water, wild ducks and geese may nest in landscaped yards. Homeowners may worry about newly-hatched ducklings and try to capture the babies. Not only is it illegal, it separates them from the mother hens, and the young birds' chances of survival are poor if that happens. A better option is to safely clear a path to the nearest river or pond. In most cases, the adult waterfowl know where to find water and safely raise their broods in a natural environment. Geese who nest in areas that seem too high for young birds to survive the first trip out of the nest also know what they are doing. These nests are often "borrowed" from other birds, such as ospreys. Young goslings are light and resilient and can withstand the initial fall from those tall platforms. Same goes for other young wildlife people may encounter. When they remove wildlife from their natural environment, chances of survival are slim. Most don't survive in captivity, and the few that do lack survival skills and can't be released back to the wild. Idaho Fish and Game has only two alternatives when dealing with animals removed from the wild. Volunteer wildlife rehabilitators can attempt to raise the animal, but this option often fails because the majority of young animals brought in are in poor condition, and providing the proper care and nutrition is a big challenge. The animals that survive generally can't be returned to the wild and have often unnaturally formed bonds with humans. Fish and Game can attempt to place animals in zoos, but many zoos refuse to take the animals because of crowding and potential disease concerns. Fish and Game recommends that if a small animal, such as a bird, rabbit or squirrel is found near a home, it should be placed back in the nest or close by and left undisturbed.