Make The Pledge To Keep Wildlife Wild

MOLLY MEISTER

Molly Meister is a public information officer in the DNR’s Office of Communications.

It’s a beautiful spring day, and while outdoors, you stumble across a baby animal. Perhaps it’s a robin fledgling hopping along the ground near its nest or a fawn lying quietly in the grass of your backyard.

Worry may set in and you wonder if you should help. In each of these examples, it’s best to leave the animal where you found it.

Young wild animals possess amazing abilities to survive on their own. Just because they’re small doesn’t mean they’re helpless.

Generally, young wild animals found without a parent are not orphans. Most of the time, a parent, usually the mother, is hiding somewhere nearby, waiting for you to leave the area to retrieve their young.

Human encounters with wildlife increase in spring — especially those involving young animals born following the thaw — as people head outside more frequently to enjoy the warming weather. While most of these encounters are harmless, there are times when well-intentioned people disrupt wildlife because they mistake a lone baby animal for an orphan.

Remember: A young wild animal's best chance for survival is with its mother.

Unlike domestic animals, which have been selectively bred over generations to depend on people, wild animals roam freely and find all the food, water and shelter they need to survive.

While some wild animals may accept help from people (such as nesting structures and bird feeders), each native Wisconsin wildlife species is built to thrive outside, even when they’re young. What may seem like a welcoming, warm garage or cozy home under the staircase is an unfamiliar world for a captive wild animal.

Never attempt to rehabilitate young or injured wildlife on your own. Taking possession of a wild animal, even when you have its best interests at heart, puts the animal’s health and survival at risk.

“Meeting the behavioral, social, nutritional and psychological needs of wildlife requires trained wildlife rehabilitation professionals,” explained Amanda Kamps, DNR wildlife health conservation specialist. “This is especially true for young animals, who need care that mimics what their mother would provide in nature.”

So, what can you do? First, consult the resources available on the DNR website to help determine if a wild animal needs your help.

“Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately if you determine a wild animal is sick, injured, truly orphaned or if you’re unsure,” Kamps said. “They understand the unique, complex set of needs of wildlife and how best to raise wild orphans to an age where the animal can survive on their own after release.”

Never take a wild animal out of its environment except when directed by a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

If an orphaned animal is determined non-releasable because it cannot thrive in the wild, the rehabilitator will determine the next best option. Sometimes, wild animals can adjust well to captivity, becoming educational ambassadors for their species. Animals held for such purposes receive the specialized care they need as captive wildlife.

When encountering a young wild animal, do not touch, chase, capture or take it home as a pet.

“No matter how cute a young wild animal may appear, it is still wild, with sometimes defensive and dangerous natural instincts to help it survive,” Kamps said.

But don’t be afraid of wildlife, she added.

“We encourage you and your family to get outdoors and watch wildlife from a safe and respectful distance,” she said. “Using binoculars and cameras can help you get a closer look, without interfering with the animals’ natural behavior.”

• Stress: Wild animals become highly stressed when near humans or domestic animals because they view both as predators. Such stress can cause health problems and even death.

• Diet: When in captivity, a wild animal’s dietary needs are not easily met, putting them at high risk of serious nutritional deficiencies.

• Disease: Parasites and diseases carried by wild animals may be transmissible to domestic animals and humans.

• Behavior development: Wild animals rely on their own species to learn normal social behaviors and survival skills. Without such habituation, animals are unlikely to survive in the wild.

• It’s illegal: State and federal laws protect most wild animals, which cannot be possessed without authorization. In Wisconsin, captive wildlife regulations allow a wild animal to be possessed up to 24 hours for transfer to a licensed individual such as a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.

Find helpful resources on how to tell if a wild animal is truly orphaned and for information on contacting a wildlife rehabilitator at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/directory.html