IDAHO, USA — Springtime, the blooms, weather and those cute baby animals that start to toddle around rural and urban spaces. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) said although these animals can look approachable, or even like they need help, it's best to leave them alone. Sometimes the young wildlife can even look like it has been left on its own.
"While a well-intentioned human's first instinct might be to rescue these adorable, fuzzy, and seemingly helpless creatures, Idaho Fish and Game has a simple suggestion to people who discover baby animals that appear to be abandoned: The best thing you can do for them is to leave them be," a news release stated.
IDFG said people should enjoy watching the cuteness but always leave wildlife alone. The department gets a lot of calls every season about animals appearing to be in distress.
Here are some tips on specific Springtime wildlife behavior from IDFG:
"Mammals such as deer, elk, and pronghorn routinely leave their young in a secure location like a clump of sagebrush. It is normal for them to leave to feed and return later—sometimes several hours later—to quickly feed their young, then leave again. The young animals know instinctively to remain still and wait for their parent to return.
The same goes for flying critters. As baby birds mature, they often leave the nest in their efforts to hone their flying skills. Adult birds continue to feed their offspring until a point in time when their young can survive on their own...even if they fall out of the nest.
If you find a baby bird, duckling, gosling, deer fawn, or other critter, the best approach is to leave it undisturbed. Then if you wish, contact your nearest Fish and Game office. Fish and Game employees are happy to take calls about apparently orphaned or injured animals, answer your questions, and when it is absolutely necessary, retrieve animals.
In addition, do not plan to raise wild animals on your own. Young wild animals require special care and feeding that is beyond what the average household is prepared to manage. Additionally, taking most species from the wild to raise in your possession is illegal in Idaho."
"When it comes to wildlife babies, wildlife mothers know best," IDFG stated. For more information people can go to the IDFG website.
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