It’s an exciting time for many species, which are welcoming new additions to their animal families every day.
Joe Lewandowski, public information officer for the Southwest region, said for many species, including elk, deer, and birds, June “is a big month for young wildlife to be seen.”
But there are dangers too.
Last week, The Vail Daily reported that children chased a week-old moose calf into the lobby of a local hotel, where it collapsed.
To ensure that similar fates don’t befall the newly born animals of La Plata County, the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife is giving Durangoans a stern warning: Please do not touch, approach or handle the wildlife, especially younglings.
When humans happen upon a lone hatchling on a bike path or a fawn in the woods, humans think the baby animals have been abandoned by their mothers and attempt an intervention.
This assumption is erroneous in the animal kingdom.
“The animals have not been abandoned. Young animals are often left alone to allow the mother to feed, to help them avoid predators and to learn how to live in the wild,” said Renzo DelPiccolo, area wildlife manager in Montrose for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
According to Parks and Wildlife, mothers often nudge their hatchlings out of the nest and onto the ground to teach them to fly.
Meanwhile, “Young fawns have no scent and are born with speckled coats that provide a natural camouflage. These two factors help them avoid being found by predators. When the mother doe senses a predator might be close by it moves away. Many other animals use similar survival techniques,” according to the release.
“We know people are trying to be helpful, but the young animals are best cared for by their own parents,” DelPiccolo said.
cmcallister@durangoherald.com
