If you find a fawn, leave it alone

It is now baby season here in Washington and we wanted to share some important information about what to do when you come in contact with a baby fawn. If you find a baby fawn, it is important to not pick it up and just leave it alone. The mothers typically feed in the morning and may leave their babies alone for 6 to 8 hours a day. It is likely the fawn you have come across is simply waiting for their mother to return. If you touch or pick up the baby fawn, it highly likely the mother may reject it when she returns. So please remember to leave fawns alone if you see them.

We have received three calls in five days from people who have picked up fawns they came across. One individual removed a fawn she thought had been abandoned. This fawn is now being cared for at a rehabilitation facility where it must be treated like an orphan, when in fact it was probably not. Recently, a tourist to Washington state came across a fawn on their hike and took the baby back to their hotel room.

If you are truly concerned about a fawn possibly orphaned, then return after dark with a flashlight to see if the mother has picked it up. But remember to stay away and do not touch it.

Nature knows best, so please leave fawns alone when you see them alone and unharmed during the day.

From Sarvey Wildlife Center