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Wildlife Emergency
Infant Deer Emergency
If you find an infant deer alone, do not initially fear that it
is orphaned and needs your help. It is common to find fawns alone
during the spring and summer months, particularly during the
fawn's first month of life. Due to its inability to
keep pace with its mother in the weeks following its birth, a
doe will often bed a fawn down during the day as she searches
for food and feeds. Rather, the fawn remains in a location
designated by the mother. Does may also leave their young
alone during the day to lure predators away from the fawns. The
doe will come back at intervals or after dusk to nurse and care
for her young.
The fawn is protected from potential predators while its mother
is away by its color, which is provides camouflage in grassy
and wooded areas, and lack of a strong body odor as well. Thus touching or coming
too close to a fawn may put it in danger of being attacked by
predators because your body odor could lead predators to the
fawn's location.
If you have discovered a fawn the best policy is to enjoy from a
distance unless the fawn is obviously injured or calling or crying
for more than three hours. Sometimes a fawn may have just been
startled or scared if it is crying; in other cases if a large enough
deer population exists he or she may be adopted by another doe; or
if it is late in the season the youngster might be old enough to
make it on its own. Because each situation is different you should
still ALWAYS contact a local rehabilitator or DNR Warden to confirm
your suspicions before intervening.
Chronic Wasting in Wisconsin
Threats of chronic wasting disease prevents wildlife
rehabilitators in many southeastern Wisconsin counties, including
Waukesha, from caring for
white tailed deer, including fawns. This is why it is vital to
keep your distance from these infant deer, despite how cute they
are! Regulations relating to this disease and its management in
Wisconsin can be found by visiting the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources at
dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/whealth/issues/CWD.
If you have any questions concerning fawns and/or potential fawn
emergencies, please contact the Wildlife In Need Center at (262)
965-3090.
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