Wildlife Babies: you can look, but don't touch

Newborn wildlife is irresistible, and many well-meaning people are tempted to "help" when the best thing they can do is leave the young alone and observe wildlife from a distance.

Born in May and June, many young wild animals may appear abandoned and helpless, or seem to be lost.

"Young wildlife are rarely helpless or abandoned, more often the mother is only gone temporarily or is intentionally staying a short distance away to avoid attracting attention to her young," said Dale Becker, Tribal Wildlife Program Manager.

If you do discover an apparently abandoned wild animal newborn or baby, just leave it alone. Just "touching or picking them up may cause the mother to reject them because of the human scent. Birds, however, cannot smell well, and fledglings may be carefully returned to their nest," Becker said.

The Tribal Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation, and Conservation should be notified if young wildlife has been orphaned because the mother was killed.

In some cases, the lure of having an unusual pet or the dream of taming a wild creature may be why a baby animal is taken from the wild. This is a bad choice for the human and the baby animal.

According to Frank Gillin, Tribal Chief Fish and Game Officer it is illegal to possess or remove from the wild any game animal, game bird, songbird, furbearer or bird of prey, and fines may be levied for such violations.

If you find young wildlife that is orphaned because the mother was killed contact Germaine White at the Tribal Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation, and Conservation at 883-2888, extension 7299.