Don’t move wildlife – for your safety and theirs

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is requesting your help. Specifically speaking – Asking for you to not help. Each year the Game and Fish Commission get numerous calls from worried individuals who happen across young, helpless-looking wildlife. Often specifically deer, rabbits, and birds. Despite the moving compassion you may feel to “help” this seemingly lost or abandoned animal – You may be doing more harm by attempting to move it or possibly get yourself in trouble with the law. Arkansas biologists say that fawns in particular will lay as still as possible while its mother is away. This survival instinct may make it appear that the fawn you come across is sick or wounded when it is actually laying in wait for mother to return with supper. In most cases, the mother deer is often just out of sight waiting for you to leave so she can tend to her young. By reducing the time spent around the fawns hiding spot she reduces the amount of attention and scent for predators to pick up on. In the case where the mother deer may be dead biologists say the fawn still has a fair chance of surviving. As early as 2 weeks after birth fawn can begin to eat and digest native vegetation and if found by another doe – She will often take the young deer in and raise it as if it were her own.