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Blue-Wing teal with her young
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This time of year my phone just about rings off the hook. People call with all kinds of questions, but the most common is not the most obvious.
Where to buy a fishing license? Nope, that’s your local license vendor or online at www.discovernd.com/gnf.
How to get a boat licensed? Close, but that’s best handled at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department Bismarck office at 701-328-6300.
When are deer applications due? Not quite, but the answer is Wednesday, June 2.
Without a doubt, when the phone rings during mid-May there is a good chance the caller will have some type of question or observation related to an apparently injured or orphaned duck, goose, song bird, rabbit – pick any creature.
When it comes to wildlife, the last thing most people, including wildlife professionals, want to experience is a helpless, suffering animal. However, animals do become orphaned, offspring do become separated from their mothers; and injuries occur every day. It’s unpleasant, but it’s the reality of how the wild world functions.
So what should you do? My advice is to give the animal time and space. This may help determine if it really is injured or orphaned. If you observe a critter in a peculiar or abnormal situation, wait a bit and see what happens.
Last week I found a sparrow, dazed and apparently unable to fly. I walked away, knowing full well it might not live. My first thought was, “I wonder if I can help it?” This is a natural reaction, but I followed my own advice. A few hours later I checked back and the bird was gone. Not doing anything was the best response.
It’s also important to note that picking up any wildlife is technically against the law. I realize “what if,” scenarios are a dime a dozen, and if you are concerned for the well being of an animal, contact biologists or law enforcement at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Their insight may help save the life of that animal.
If you return later and it has not moved, it very well may be injured or orphaned. But remember, in most cases the animal’s greatest and only chance at survival is in the wild.
I’ve seen first hand the trauma animals absorb when abruptly removed from their natural surroundings. Many times subtle changes in temperature or surroundings can lead to severe shock or even death of the animal you’re trying to help. This is especially true for orphaned animals.
Even after an animal has been picked up, you’ll eventually be asked to release it back to the wild. While it’s a myth that any human scent will result in abandonment by the mother, time in captivity, even under watchful care, means the animal will have a reduced chance for surviving in the wild.
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Young fawn
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The most commonly reported orphaned wildlife is white-tailed deer. As a safety measure, a doe will conceal herself a short distance away and visit the fawn a couple of times a day to nurse it. What appears to be an abandoned young deer is most likely just being observed from a safe distance by its mother.
Both young and adult animals are also occasionally injured. The first human response, understandably, is the urge to help. However, unless the animal is a threatened or endangered species, it’s best to either leave it alone, or call a wildlife official.
One final word of caution. Remember that wild animals are ... wild. A protective mother goose will aggressively defend her brood and could injure small children. Some species can transmit rabies or other diseases.
A baby raccoon may look cute and appear vulnerable, but the only way ensure your own safety and avoid potential conflicts is to just leave it alone.
Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Dept. He can be reached via email: dleier@state.nd.us
Photo credits to the ND Game and Fish Department
