NDGF fawn deer
By Doug Leier
On a chilly, rainy Friday night the police officer called and said a young girl had taken what she thought was an injured mother duck and rode off on her bike. The officer was unable to find the girl and the hen, while a dozen ducklings scurried around looking for mom. Maybe they’d survive?
The next afternoon public works and a police officer vainly attempted to “rescue” ducklings that had fallen down a storm drain while the hen was calling out to find the ducklings. The ducklings have water. They just might live?
These are real scenarios that happened to me and happen across the nation. And in most cases, the best option is to let nature take its course.
While the human impulse to “rescue” a seemingly abandoned creature is strong, intervening seldom is warranted except if the animal is a health and human safety issue.
The most common mistake people make is assuming that a solitary, young animal has been deserted. In the wild, parents routinely leave their offspring alone for extended periods. This behavior is a deliberate survival strategy designed to protect the young from predators.
- Deer fawns: Does intentionally isolate their fawns in tall grass to avoid drawing predators. The camouflaged fawns lie perfectly still. A doe will only return a few times a day to nurse before moving away again. Seeing a fawn alone is completely normal.
- Cottontail rabbits: Mother rabbits hide their nests in shallow ground depressions, frequently right in suburban lawns. They visit the nest only once or twice a day to feed the litter. If you find a nest of tiny rabbits, cover them back up and let the mother do her job.
- Ducklings and goslings: Waterfowl families move frequently between wetlands and feeding areas even in urban areas. If you spot ducklings or goslings temporarily separated from their mother, she is usually nearby trying to safely guide them back. Moving them disrupts this reunion.
When a human handles or relocates a young animal, its chances of survival decrease significantly. Captive environments cannot replicate the necessary diet and survival skills passed down by wild parents. Animals raised by humans often fail to develop the necessary instincts to survive if they are eventually released back into the wild.
Taking wildlife into possession is illegal without a permit from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Local veterinarians and zoos cannot accept wild animals without explicit state authorization, and they rarely have the capacity or need to house common native species. Human safety is another major factor, as wild animals can carry ticks, parasites, and transmissible diseases.
The absolute best way to respect North Dakota’s wildlife is to practice restraint and maintain a healthy distance. Take photos from afar and keep your domestic pets leashed to prevent accidental attacks on vulnerable nests.
The only exception to the “hands-off” rule is if an animal is in an obviously unnatural or hazardous situation, such as a dazed songbird sitting on a concrete doorstep. In those rare instances, gently moving the animal to the nearest safe cover is acceptable. Otherwise, remember that nature provides the best care possible, and stepping back is the ultimate act of conservation.
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