Leave Baby Animals Alone

The end of May and first of June is the peak fawning and calving season for Idaho's deer, elk and antelope. As outdoor enthusiasts head out to the woods, well-meaning folks often find baby animals that seem to be abandoned. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is asking people to leave them alone. "We have people calling us or bringing baby animals to the office every year," said Randy Smith, Fish and Game regional Wildlife Manager for the Magic Valley Region. "Even though their intentions are good, it isn't the best thing for the animals." Mother animals often leave their young as they forage. If they return to find people milling around, they will often leave the area and come back when the people are gone. By then it is sometimes too late and their baby is gone. "If people bring young animals into the office, we only have two options," Smith said. "We can attempt to return them back into the wild which seldom works because the animal is too young to survive on its own. The second choice is to place them in a zoo. Either way, the animal is generally removed from the wild forever." It is illegal for people to possess wild animals. Unless they have a permit, people found with a wild animal can be issued a citation, and the animal will be taken away. Animals raised in confinement are often destroyed because of the possibility of disease and because they lack the ability to survive on their own. Smaller animals, such as rabbits and birds, should also be left alone. In nature, Mother knows best.