Let sleeping fawns lie, wildlife officials plead

Sometimes the best intentions come with the worst outcomes.

It's something Kim Blomme with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton has seen time and time again.

As spring turns into summer, Blomme says well-intentioned Edmontonians hoping to rescue seemingly abandoned deer fawns should leave the animals alone.  

"It's basic human emotion to help a young animal that we perceive to be helpless, that we see alone," Blomme said during a Wednesday morning interview on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. 

"It's important that we try to understand those animals, and how they live and when to help.

"And sometimes helping them means leaving them alone." 

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The agency has been getting an increasing number of calls from residents worried over the fate of abandoned fawns this season. 

Blomme says although the animals may appear abandoned, it's normal for does to leave their young unattended for hours at a time as they forage for food.

The mother is usually within earshot, and will return eventually to nurse.

"The fawns are quite small and quite weak for the first two weeks of life so they are basically genetically programmed to just stay still, bedded down in the grass and wait for mom to come and feed," Blomme said.

"And the mother doesn't stay with them because she would actually advertising to predators to where her baby is." 

If captured, Blomme says the fawn will soon fall into a weakened state. Many fail to thrive, and some even die in those first days of captivity.

"It's a natural human emotion. Our hearts go out to an animal that we see alone, particularly if its a nice warm, beautiful cuddly little thing like a fawn," Blomme said. 

"But you can kill something with kindness." 

Only in extreme conditions should anyone consider capturing a fawn, and even then Blomme says professionals should be involved.

"If the fawn is visibly injured, covered in flies, running around bawling — then consider trying to help it.

"But if it's bedded down, curled up in the grass and it's got a nice shiny nose and bright eyes, and its kind of looking up to you, then you've got to walk away. It's where it's supposed to be."