Important Message from Kilgore Animal Control About Baby Wildlife

Kilgore, Texas Animal Control took to their Facebook page recently to share an important reminder and/or message regarding baby wildlife.

One of the sweetest parts of springtime is seeing the baby wildlife. Here in East Texas, seeing all of the new life is precious, uplifting, and feels like something straight out of a Disney movie. And if you are an animal lover like me, even MORE so.

However, unlike a Disney movie, sometimes human interaction can do more harm than good, even when we have the best of intentions.

Certainly, there are situations where humans need to intervene. One such scenario is like the one you see in the featured photo. This little buck had been lying in the middle of traffic lanes in a residential area. He didn't move because, upon further inspection by Kilgore Animal Control, the little fawn was suffering from an open wound and was also quite dehydrated. This little guy DID need intervention and care--which thankfully, he received.

For the most part, it is best to let nature stay "wild."

For example, we see quite a few baby deer that the little guy mentioned above. We may happen upon one that is all alone--for a while. That can cause concern for compassionate people who wonder if he or she has been left to fend for themselves.

Kilgore Animal Control reminds us that deer particularly "have a habit of leaving their young, weak fawns, alone for up to 7-8 hours while they are out grazing and attracting predators AWAY from their babies. THESE BABIES ARE NOT ABANDONED! Please don’t touch, feed, water, or otherwise interact with these babies, mom will return."

So, what's the bottom line regarding responding to the baby wildlife you may run across this time of year?

According to Kilgore Animal Control, if you really are concerned that a fawn has been truly abandoned, contact your local animal control, police, or game warden. They recommend strongly that we do NOT move the animal for their own safety. They can be rather fragile when they're at such a tender age.

Also, if you want to keep some mementos of your interaction with our wild babies in East Texas, take a photo. Otherwise, "let's leave nature wild."

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