Help us Keep Maine's Wildlife Wild





Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife





*mefishwildlife.com*






deer fawn laying in tall grass with a thought bubble that reads "Mom's away, but I'm okay" [ [link removed] ]
If you care, leave them there

It is not uncommon to find a young fawn all alone in the spring and early summer. Until the fawn is strong enough to keep up, an adult doe may hide her fawn in the forest floor leaves, returning two or three times a day to nurse. During this time, the fawn is protected from predators by its camouflaged coat and its lack of scent.

Most fawns found alone are not orphans and should be left alone in the wild. Fawns raised by their mom have a significantly higher chance at survival. 

It is always best to leave fawns alone, and you should never attempt to feed them. Repeated visits to a fawn can draw the attention of predators, and could discourage the mother from returning. Leave the area, and ensure pets stay away.

To determine if the fawn is truly injured or orphaned, please visit our website at mefishwildlife.com/livingwithwildlife [ [link removed] ]

*Learn More* [ [link removed] ]


________________________________________________________________________



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!

*Learn How to Live Responsibly with Wildlife* [ [link removed] ]






________________________________________________________________________



More information

Wildlife Diseases [ [link removed] ]

Avoiding and Resolving Wildlife Conflict [ [link removed] ]

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








Stay Connected with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:   Facebook [ [link removed] ] Twitter [ [link removed] ] Youtube [ [link removed] ] LinkedIn [ [link removed] ] Govdelivery [ [link removed] ]  

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Subscriptions [ [link removed] ]  |  Unsubscribe All [ [link removed] ]  |  Help [ [link removed] ]



________________________________________________________________________

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] ]