LDWF cautions Louisianans against fawning over wildlife this summer

Now that school’s out, many Louisiana families are taking to the woods for camping, hiking, biking, waterskiing, swimming and other outdoor adventures.

As the temperature rises, so does the chance of encountering raccoons, roseate spoonbills, possums, turtles, snakes and other Louisiana wildlife. Some families are even fortunate enough to find a white-tailed fawn.

Consequently, this time of year, LDWF receives a high volume of calls from Good Samaritans about what appear to be abandoned fawns. Some well-intentioned individuals even go as far as to bring a fawn home. Then, they typically contact LDWF, expecting the agency to retrieve and raise the baby animals.

“Picking up fawns seriously diminishes their chance to live a normal and healthy life,” explains Emile Leblanc, LDWF Wildlife Division biologist. “When a fawn is born it is weak, awkward and unable to move well enough to feed and escape predators. However, the newborn fawn has a coat of light brown hair liberally covered with white spots that provides excellent camouflage against predators.

“The mother doe will remain in the area to feed and nurture the fawn,” he asserts reassuringly. “When the young deer gets older and stronger, it will be able to forage for food with its mother.”

It’s important for people abandon their instincts to save Bambi, so he and his mother can follow theirs.

In fact, despite the movie’s focus on the forest, Leblanc is not a fan of the 1942 Disney classic. “The movie Bambi has done more to hurt sound wildlife management practices than any other movie that I have ever seen,” Leblanc says. “It falsely raises animals to people status.”

And, “As harsh as it may seem, you cannot stockpile wildlife,” he maintains. “In nature, in order for something to live, something else has to die. The limiting factor is habitat. If you can save, enhance and manage the habitat, the animals will flourish. The No. 1 cause of problems associated with wildlife is habitat degradation caused by human development and encroachment.”

In addition, it is illegal to capture any other wild animal. Even if they mean well, individuals transporting or possessing wild deer without a permit may be subject to citations and fines.

By leaving the fawn untouched and quietly departing the area, outdoorsmen can afford young deer the best chance of survival and avoid bucking the system themselves.

Even though fawns don’t need to be rescued from the forest, plenty of Project Purr’s adorable, cuddly kittens and cats are rescued and in need of a forever home. Click here to view a photo gallery.