blake
Life Member
NEWS:
Wildlife Baby Season Has Begun
By Lowell Washburn
The annual wildlife baby season has begun.
I saw my first proof of the occasion late last week. I had just pulled onto a blacktop roadway that parallels the edge of a marsh when a hen mallard stepped from the ditch. As I slowed to observe, 11 tiny ducklings suddenly scrambled out of the thick grass to join their mother.
Making sure no one was behind me, I came to a stop to observe the proud hen mallard parade her row of tiny duplicates across the blacktop and into the adjacent marsh.
With the mallard family safely in the cattails, I continued on my journey.
That's how all wildlife baby encounters are supposed to end: wildlife families intact and in their natural habitat. Human observers inspired by the encounter.
Unfortunately, many scenarios have a far less happy ending. Whenever people encounter a newborn fawn, nest of baby cottontails, or fledgling baby bird, they often assume that the animals are orphaned and in need of immediate human intervention. The fate of these hapless youngsters is forever sealed as they are promptly "rescued from the wild."
In most cases, these wildlife babies perish soon after capture. Should an animal survive the initial trauma of being captured and confined, it often succumbs more slowly to pneumonia, other diseases, or malnutrition.
Whether they're adults or young, all species of wildlife have highly specific needs for survival. "Rescuing a baby from its mother" not only shows bad judgment -- it is also illegal. Wild mammals are protected by state law. Wild birds are protected by both state and federal law. Illegally capturing and possessing wildlife can lead to serious penalty.
Observing native birds and mammals in their natural habitat is a unique privilege. Making field notes or obtaining a good photo or two provides an even more lasting memory. But once you've done that, leave wildlife babies where they belong ---- in the wild.