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A fawn prepares to munch on some wildflowers. Once a fawn is old enough to follow its mother, it will. In the meantime, deer moms settle their offspring, then leave to forage. That's normal behavior--not abandonment.
By the time young wild rabbits are fully furred, with open eyes, they're able to take care of themselves. |
Three baby bunnies turned up in a Spotsylvania County backyard one early spring day, cute, helpless and so little their eyes weren't even open yet.
And there was no parent in sight.
The homeowners called licensed wildlife rehabilitator Valerie Ackerman, full of concern and questions.
Are they orphans? Should we take them inside? Should we feed them?
Ackerman was quick with her answers:
No, they're probably not orphans. No, don't take them inside. And no, absolutely do not attempt to feed them.
It's an irony Ackerman and other wildlife rehabilitators see every springtime: Compassion kills.
The fact is, many wild mothers do leave their young alone, sometimes for several hours at a time.
In the case of baby rabbits whose eyes aren't yet open, mothers will leave them during daylight in ground-level nests, often in grassy areas like yards, medians or roadsides. That's why they're so readily discovered by people, who mistakenly conclude that if the parent isn't present the animal must be an orphan.
But Ed Clark, president and co-founder of the Waynesboro-based Wildlife Center of Virginia, says that's anthropomorphism.
Parenthood works differently in the wild.
Rabbits, deer and some other mammal mothers stash their newborn offspring so the adults can go feed themselves. The babies can't yet follow, so their instinct is to stay still and silent till their mothers return.
It's true that the wild infants are in some jeopardy when they're alone--but more from people than from natural predators. Farmers on tractors and people pushing lawn mowers may inadvertently injure nesting babies.
Another danger: Being kidnapped. That's essentially what happens when a person attempts to rescue a baby animal, take it home and care for it.
"These animals stand a far better chance of survival in the care of their parents than they have in any kind of captivity," Clark said. "People who think they're doing the right thing by treating a wild animal like a human infant--they're not helping it. They're killing it."
Fawns may be irresistible, but trying to raise one by hand is incredibly damaging. Cow's milk can give them fatal diarrhea. And being raised by humans deprives fawns of the parental teaching and wild instincts they need to survive.
Similarly, wild rabbits can't be treated as pets the way domesticated rabbits can be. It's a matter of instinct. When a wild rabbit reaches its sexual maturity, it needs its own territory.
So the sweet bunny that seemed to welcome cuddling and hand-feeding suddenly starts to bite and scratch.
At that point, Clark said, people may try to release the rabbit to fend for itself. But it doesn't know how, so it starves, dies of exposure or succumbs to predators.
"The most important thing to an animal is its wildness," Clark said. "It's not something that can be loved out of it."
Fledgling birds also fall victim to people's good intentions, Clark said. It's normal for a baby bird to jump or fall out of its nest and spend a day or so hopping around until it learns to fly. Even if its parents aren't in sight, they're probably nearby, keeping an eye on it.
If the bird is threatened by neighboring cats or dogs, the best thing for a person to do is gently lift it back into its nest and leave it alone.
It's absolutely not true that its parents will reject it because it smells of human contact, Clark said. Most bird species have extremely limited senses of smell, if any.
Parental instinct in birds and mammals is strong, Clark said. Wild parents aren't going to abandon helpless offspring they've poured all their energy into nurturing, even if the baby has been briefly handled by a human being.
Only after the animal is old enough to fend for itself will its parents leave it for good.
So most "orphaned" animal stories can have happy endings.
That was the case with the bunnies in Spotsylvania, said Ackerman, the wildlife rehabilitator.
When the homeowners called her that late spring afternoon, she assured them, "Mama rabbit's on her way."
A half-hour later as dark fell, the people called back to report that the mother rabbit had indeed returned to her young.
No human intervention needed.
Laura Moyer: 540/374-5417
Email: lmoyer@freelancestar.com
| THE LAW:
It is illegal in Virginia to keep wild animals in captivity without a permit, according to section 29.1-521, subsection 10, of the Code of Virginia. Violation is a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable For some species, federal laws may also apply. WHAT TO DO:People who encounter They should immediately contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in their area. A list of licensed rehabilitators by locality is available online at: dgif.virginia.gov/ Animals hurt by mowers, tractors, cars or other causes can be moved out An animal brought home A licensed rehabilitator should be contacted so the animal can be treated by The Wildlife Center of Virginia Web site can help: wildlifecenter.org. |
| Natural Virginia is an occasional series about the outdoors. Send story ideas to lmoyer@freelancestar.com or call 540/ 374-5417 |
