I found a baby “_____”,
now what?
Spring has
sprung, and with it comes the newest generation of wildlife. Tiny, fuzzy and cute, we tend to come across
one (or more) of these new babies in our daily travels and wonder if they need
our help.
Many babies are
brought to wildlife rehabilitation centers with the genuine thought that they
are orphaned – but are they really? It
is important to be educated and be aware of the signs of an orphaned or injured
baby and whether they need our intervention.
If they are not truly orphaned or injured, there is no better caretaker
than their mothers and they should be left alone.
So, you’ve
found a baby animal, before you touch it, asses it from a safe distance – is it injured? Can you see blood? Is it dragging a limb or wing? Are there flies swarming around it possibly
indicating a wound? If yes, contact your
nearest wildlife rehabilitation center to see if they can accommodate the
animal. If no, what makes you concerned
about the sighting of the baby? Is it a
bird out of a nest? Is it in a peculiar area? Is it alone? Keep in mind, some babies are left alone for
long periods of time to keep predators away from the area.
The following
are some common wildlife babies that may be misinterpreted as orphans:
Rabbits (cottontails and hares) – rabbits are
often seen alone during the day and are commonly misinterpreted as
orphans. However, mom usually only
frequents the nest twice a day (dusk and dawn) to feed them. Some breeds of rabbits begin to leave the
nest for short periods of time as early as 3 weeks of age. If there is concern that a rabbit or nest of
rabbits is orphaned, it is important to observe from a safe distance for
approximately 24hours. If the mother has
not returned to the nest, then calling a wildlife rehabilitation center would be
your next step. Unnecessary handling of
the rabbit should be avoided as they are high stress animals and stressful
events can be fatal.
Fawns – baby fawns are born with no scent, therefore mom usually
leaves them for long periods of time and comes back only to feed them. Mom can leave the fawn from 6-12 hours
between feedings and sometimes longer. Usually when they are found they are
curled up and partially camouflaged.
Deer are also a high stress species, so avoid unnecessary handling.
Birds – baby birds
are commonly found and brought to wildlife rehabilitation centers. If you find a baby bird on the ground, and
you know the nest is nearby, if possible safely return the bird to the nest.
If you have
determined that the baby is orphaned or injured and you can safely capture it,
it should be kept in a warm, quiet box where it will not be disturbed until it
can be transported to a wildlife rehabilitation center. It is important that you never try to hydrate
or feed the wildlife as this can be fatal.
Get the animal to a wildlife rehabilitation center as soon as possible,
so they can asses and begin treating the animal.
These are just
some of the common wildlife babies that rehabilitation centers see, if you are
ever unsure about wildlife of any species or life stage it is always important
to contact a wildlife rehabilitator for more information.
Unsure of wildlife rehabilitators near you?
Check out https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-wildlife-rehabilitator for a list of licensed rehabilitators
and species that they accept.
Wildlife
rehabilitation centers are always looking for volunteers. Without volunteers their facilities cannot
run, and they cannot look after the animals that come to them. Facilities need volunteers for animal care,
fundraising, and infrastructure repair and upkeep. If you can’t donate time, what about donating
supplies? They are always in need of
items such as food, housing and enrichment supplies, and medical supplies. We can all be a helping hand in one way or
another.
