HELENA — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) receives calls each spring from people who have picked up baby wildlife they’ve found in town, their yards, or in the wild. It’s often done out of concern for the animal, but almost always does more harm than good. Remember, if you care, leave them there.
State wildlife officials note that wildlife care for their young much differently than humans and use strategies to provide the highest chance of survival for their young, and those strategies frequently involve leaving them alone for periods of time. This is common with deer and rabbits — two animals also common in towns around Montana.
Wild animals thrive better in the wild where they have plenty of natural habitat. Additionally, it’s safer for humans to leave wild animals alone. Baby ground squirrels, racoons and rabbits can carry zoonotic diseases, which means diseases that are infectious for humans. Examples include plague, hemorrhagic diseases and tularemia.
FWP advises that People who see baby animals should keep their distance and leave it alone.
The information below has been provided by FWP.
What can you do?
- Leave It There. It’s natural for deer and elk to leave their young alone for extended periods of time.
- Control Your Dog. Keep your dog under control, especially in the spring when newborn wildlife is most vulnerable. Pet owners can be cited and dogs that harass or kill wildlife may by law have to be destroyed.
- Keep in Mind. It is illegal to possess and care for a live animal taken from the wild.
FWP notes that anyone who brings a deer or elk to FWP will be asked to take the animal back to the site where it was found. If the animal can't be returned, it may need to be humanely euthanized, a news release notes.
