Winnebago County Conservation Wildlife Notes

Leave Wild Babies Where They Belong...
In the Wild

Every year, especially in the spring and early summer, we get calls from well-meaning people wanting to know what they should do with the little "orphaned" bird or mammal they have just found. Many people are surprised by our usual answer. We usually tell them to leave wildlife just where it belongs--in the wild.

That's because young animals are rarely abandoned by their parents. In almost all cases, when you see a baby animal alone, the mother is nearby. In nature, parents need to leave their young occasionally to find food. But, unlike humans, baby animals are usually left alone. The young animals are usually well-cam robin chicks

ouflaged for protection and instinctively know to remain quiet and still while the parents are gone.

To many people, though, it appears that young birds, for instance, have fallen out of their nests and need to be put back. But, most young birds that people come across are simply learning how to fly. No young bird can learn how to fly by sitting in its nest; that is something it learns quickly after hopping out of the nest for the first time. Unfortunately, many well-meaning people take these birds and either put them back in their nest or take them home "to save them." In most cases, though, the mother is nearby watching over the young bird and, in too many cases, watching people carry off her offspring.

Also, it is never recommended that you try to raise a young animal on your own. Not only is it illegal to do so, but only licensed rehabilitators know the proper nutritional needs of various wildlife species and know how to raise them. Also, young animals often require feeding every 2-4 hours, both day and night--a schedule that few people are willing to keep up for long! In short, baby animals are best raised by their own parents. Unfortunately, many young animals die under the care of considerate people who assume they know what's best for a baby animal. Finally it's important to remember that many wild animals do carry diseases and even the cutest babies will bite or scratch if they feel threatened.

So, when should you step in? Most wildlife experts recommend that you only interfere when it is obvious that an animal is injured or in imminent danger. Simply being "alone" does not qualify. Even then, it is recommended that you contact a wildlife professional to retrieve the animal. Of course, very tiny birds that have no feathers and obviously are not learning to fly, yet, probably did fall out of their nest and those birds can gently be returned.

It is true that many young animals do die before they reach maturity and many people feel bad about that. But, as cruel as that may seem to us, it is Mother Nature's way of ensuring that the strongest and healthiest young survive to produce strong and healthy offspring of their own. So, one of the best ways we can help Mother Nature out this spring is to watch her with wonder--and not interfere.

baby raccoon

Wildlife Notes by WCCB Naturalist Lisa Ralls