Please Leave Young Animals Alone

Ron Selden

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August 5, 2008   Leaving Young Wildlife Alone is the Best Policy

GLASGOW, Mont.   – Reports of people disturbing deer and antelope fawns are prompting renewed warnings from state authorities that such actions are illegal, as well as detrimental to the animals.

Shawn Briggs, a Glasgow-based warden with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, said most young animals found alone in the wild are not “orphaned.” In fact, it’s likely that a parent is nearby. H e said wildlife often leave their newborn hidden for periods of time and return periodically to feed them.  This common practice helps to keep predators from finding the young animals.

  If you happen upon a fawn or any other young, wild animals, biologists contend it’s best to leave the area as quickly and quietly as possible so the parent animal can return. It is against state law to possess game animals and other creatures such as game birds, songbirds, furbearers or birds of prey from the wild. Fines can be issued for these violations. FWP cannot accept, hold or rehabilitate deer or elk removed from the wild because of the impending threat of chronic wasting disease (CWD), and you will be asked to return a wild creature to the location where it was found. CWD, a fatal neurological disease that affects deer and elk, is spreading in the United States and Canada. Although it has yet to be documented in wild populations in Montana, CWD is found in nearby states and provinces. An infected animal could spread CWD from a holding center back into the wild. Officials also warn that parent animals can be very protective of their young, and approaching, touching or removing a young animal could trigger unwelcome responses.   For more information, visit FWP’s web page at fwp.mt.gov and look under “Wild Things” section for the Living With Wildlife  page.