| WILDLIFE
BABIES 
Newborn wildlife is irresistible, and many well-meaning
people are tempted to "help" when the best thing they can do
is leave the young alone and observe wildlife from a
distance.
Born in May and June, many young wild animals may appear
abandoned and helpless, or seem to be lost.
“Young wildlife are rarely helpless or abandoned, more often
the mother is only gone temporarily or is intentionally staying
a short distance away to avoid attracting attention to her
young,” said Dale Becker, Tribal Wildlife Program Manager.
If you do discover an apparently abandoned wild animal
newborn or baby just leave it alone. Just “touching or picking
them up may cause the mother to reject them because of the human
scent. Birds, however, cannot smell well, and fledglings may be
carefully returned to their nest,” Becker said. The Tribal
Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation, and Conservation should
be notified if young wildlife has been orphaned because the
mother was killed.
In some cases, the lure of having an unusual pet or the dream
of taming a wild creature may be why a baby animal is taken from
the wild. This is a bad choice for the human and the baby
animal.
According to Frank Gillin, Tribal Chief Fish and Game Officer
it is illegal to possess or remove from the wild any game
animal, game bird, songbird, furbearer or bird of prey, and
fines may be levied for such violations.
If you find young wildlife that is orphaned because the
mother was killed contact Germaine White at the Tribal Division
of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation, and Conservation at 883-2888,
extension 7299.
|
