What Should Be Done With Young Wildlife?

In most cases, the best thing to do when finding young wild animals is to leave them alone. Wild babies are almost never abandoned and only rarely orphaned. Taking these animals to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator is a last resort and should only be done after one is certain that care from the natural parent is impossible.

Life in the wild can appear to be very cruel. Even with the care of natural parents, most wildlife young do not survive to adulthood. If they did, overpopulation would result creating an opportunity for disease or starvation to occur resulting in the death of many. The young animals that die early in life become food for animals higher on the food chain maintaining greater biodiversity and a healthier ecosystem.

Pet dogs and cats can have a negative effect on young wildlife. These pets are very skilled, efficient predators who don’t need to kill to survive. Despite being fed by their owners, dogs and cats can exhibit primitive, instinctive behaviors resulting in dead wildlife. There is also a risk of pets being exposed to diseases or parasites carried by wildlife. It’s imperative to keep pets under control at all times for the safety of both the wild animals and the pets.

When is it appropriate to rescue wildlife babies?

Choosing to rescue an animal is dependant on the species and the condition when found. Any juvenile animal showing signs of injury or illness should be brought to the attention of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Nestling Birds - young birds that are featherless, partially feathered or covered in down should be returned to the nest if possible. Birds have virtually no sense of smell and will not reject the young simply due to human handling. If returning to the nest is impossible or if the bird is ejected from the nest again, phone for information. Continued rejection is likely due to siblings removing the competition or to the fact that there is something wrong with the individual causing the mother to refuse it any care to conserve her limited resources.

Fledgling Birds - birds that are nearly fully feathered with only a small amount of down remaining but are still unable to fly should be left alone. Most song birds will leave the nest before they are capable of full flight but will still be cared for by the parent or parents.

Waterfowl - are semi-independent within hours of hatching. They are able to see and walk almost immediately but still need parental guidance. If found without an adult, get them to the nearest pond or stream that has birds of the same type, usually either mallards or Canada geese, to enable them to join a brood.

Rabbits - more appropriately called “cottontails”. Nests will be shallow depressions in lawns lined with fur and covered with grass. If the nest is disturbed, cover with grass clippings and don’t disturb any further. If the nest is in an inconvenient spot, handle each baby barehanded. Instead of rejecting them, the mother will likely move them to a new nest in a different location. The mother visits the nest only once or twice during the night so not seeing her does not mean she has abandoned the nest. The young leave the nest shortly after their eyes are open and will be no more than 5 inches long. They are completely independent at this point.

Fawns - young white-tailed deer spend most of their daytime hours bedded away from the mother. She is within earshot and a short running distance and will not abandon the fawns. In general, leave fawns where you find them.

Raccoons - these are also generally not abandoned. They are often found due to destruction of the den site. Place them in a box as near to the den as possible for 48 hours to allow time for the mother to retrieve them. If they remain unattended after the 48 hours, phone for information. Older, more active babies may be seen playing without the mother present. These individuals should be left alone unless they appear weak or ill.

Opossums - these little guys travel with their mother but will occasionally become separated. If so, leave them alone overnight. If they haven’t moved by morning then you should call for information.

Squirrels - high winds will occasionally damage leaf nests causing babies to fall to the ground. Assuming no sign of injury, place them in a box on a branch or at the base of the tree for an entire day. If the mother does not retrieve them, phone for information.

Be careful out there!

Many animals can cause serious injuries to people, especially those who lack proper training and experience in handling them. It is important to know your own limitations. If an animal is posing a threat to human safety such as possibly causing a car accident, local police should be notified immediately to prevent human injuries. In many cases an animal control officer can be dispatched to the scene but not all towns offer this service.

Transporting an animal to a licensed rehabilitator...

Animals can often be captured by placing a large towel over them to mask their vision and reduce the risk of them striking out in self defense. It can then be placed in a box or pet carrier lined with old, clean towels or paper towels for transport. If it is necessary to hold the animal for some time, place the box in a quiet, dark place to minimize stress. In some cases, a heating pad set on low should be placed under half of the box. When unsure, phone for information.

Some things you just shouldn’t do...

Do not attempt to feed them anything. Very often the wrong types of food are used which can do more harm than good. Animals in reasonable health will be able to survive 24 hours without food. Making a small dish of water available may be appropriate. Phone for information.

Do not allow anyone to handle, play with or cuddle the animals. This could adversely affect its future behavior and foster an emotional attachment on the part of the human care giver which may prove difficult to break.

Do not attempt to raise the animal yourself. It is illegal to do this without proper permits from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and/or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It is totally illegal to keep native wild animals as pets. Wildlife raised as pets and released to the wild will not know how to interact properly with their own species and may seek out other humans for food and companionship which can result in unpleasant consequences for the animal and the human. These animals are likely to die soon after release.

Don’t automatically expect to visit your rescued animal or even to check up on it by phone. Once in the possession of a licensed rehabilitator, the amount of human contact is limited to that needed to provide basic care. Phoning to check on the animal requires the rehabilitator to take time to locate your animal's records taking them away from providing care for the animals who are currently in need.

In conclusion, as painful as it might be for some of us to do nothing, that is often the best action to take. Nature has been handling these processes much longer than we have and it’s usually best for all concerned if we just let nature sort it out. We humans are better than nothing when it comes to raising baby wildlife but we are unable to provide the behavioral and social experiences necessary for these wild infants to become a part of a thriving, wild breeding population. Some procedures are best left to the experts and in these cases the experts are the natural mothers.

Please visit our Wildlife Rehabilitation page for more information.

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