Found young wildlife? If you care, leave them there.





Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife





*mefishwildlife.com*






Help us keep Maine's wildlife wild!
A fledgling robin in the grass

Young wildlife will soon be out and about learning the ropes. They might still have a little bit of fluffy down sticking out from under their new feathers, be a little wobbly on their long legs, or lack some understanding of the dangers in the great outdoors, but give them a little time and plenty of space and they’ll figure things out. They're Mainers after all. Behind each cute face is the determination, resourcefulness, and fierce independent spirit that makes them tough as nails and able to thrive in our wild woods and waters without help from humans.

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When you cross paths with young wildlife this season, remember...

A spotted deer fawn sitting in tall green grass

*Being found alone does not mean a young animal is orphaned.*

Most wild parents do not stay with their young 24 hours a day, leaving them hidden from predators while they are out finding food. In fact, some species briefly check on and feed their young as little as twice per day.



A family of red foxes

*Being out during the day does not mean an animal is sick.*

Recognizing normal vs abnormal wildlife behavior [ [link removed] ] is important for understanding how to respond to different wildlife encounters. You may see a healthy nocturnal animal out during the day because they are a busy parent trying to feed a family or because they are a young animal learning through exploration.



Three young raccoons looking out from a tree cavity

*If you care, leave them there.*

Young wildlife's best chance of long-term survival is to remain in the wild. Intervening when an animal is not truly orphaned or critically injured puts them at a disadvantage, puts your safety at risk, and puts unnecessary strain on licensed wildlife rehabilitators with limited resources.



*Learn More about Orphaned, Sick, or Injured Wildlife* [ [link removed] ]


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Always call before you act.

Wildlife professionals such as Maine game wardens, wildlife biologists, licensed wildlife rehabilitators, and Animal Damage Control agents can help you assess different wildlife scenarios to determine the best course of action. For your safety and the safety of the animal, never handle or move wildlife unless directed to do so by a wildlife professional. In the rare cases when intervention is justified, their knowledge and experience will help ensure the safety of all those involved.

For deer, bear, moose, and turkey exhibiting signs of critical illness or injury, please contact your local MDIFW wildlife biologist or game warden [ [link removed] ]. For all other species, please contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator [ [link removed] ] or Animal Damage Control agent [ [link removed] ].

It’s against the law to possess wildlife without the proper state and federal permits. Never attempt to rehabilitate wildlife yourself. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators have the experience, knowledge, skills, and access to resources necessary to provide professional medical care, protect against zoonotic disease transmission, meet specific nutritional and husbandry needs, and condition wildlife for release. Even temporary care outside of a professional setting can do more harm than good. Thank you for helping keep Maine's wildlife wild!






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More information

Wildlife Diseases [ [link removed] ]

Avoiding and Resolving Wildlife Conflict [ [link removed] ]

You found a fawn, now what? [ [link removed] ]








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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife ·41 State House Station · Augusta, ME 04333-0041 · (207) 287-8000 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]