Wildlife Wednesday 05/01/2024

Happy #WildlifeWednesday! 

It’s that time of year when white-tailed deer babies start showing up in yards and on lawns. Fawns are born in Ohio between May and July and although they are able to walk at birth, they need to spend several weeks with their mother for food and protection.

Mother deer purposely leave their young unattended, hidden in shrubs or tall grass while they forage for food throughout the day. This behavior keeps them safe from predators. The fawns quietly sit still and their spotted fur coats and lack of odor help them blend in with their surroundings.

Humans often notice the young deer and assume they have been abandoned. This is rarely the case. You can monitor the fawn from a distance to see if the mother checks in to nurse or move the youngster. Do not offer the fawn food as it requires specific nourishment from its mother and consuming inappropriate items can harm it.  Only in the cases of the fawn being injured or sick, or if you are certain the mother is dead, is it acceptable to intervene. In these rare instances one should contact a local wildlife rehabilitation expert. 

Keep wildlife wild!