Ohio’s young wildlife appears again… and is well-equipped for survival

Released on = May 25, 2005, 8:28 pm

Press Release Author = Laura Jones, ODNR

Industry = Environment

Press Release Summary = April showers bring May flowers, and they also signal the arrival of new life to animal nests and dens across the state. As this annual rebirth unfolds, many well-meaning people are sometimes compelled to “rescue” young animals they think have been abandoned by their parents. Our natural mothering instincts tells us they are tiny babies and need our help… but actually, that is usually not the real fact.

Press Release Body =

Wildlife experts warn against such rescues, explaining that wildlife babies from down-covered goslings to wobbly-legged fawns, each species has its own way of successfully raising and protecting its young. In some cases, as with rabbits and deer, that can mean the mother being absent from them for long periods at a time.“People often misunderstand what they are seeing”, says wildlife experts. For example, when a fledgling bird leaves the nest it doesn’t know how to fly. With short wing and tail feathers, it hops around on the ground for three to five days before figuring out how to take flight.” Rest assured that during this time, the bird’s parents are nearby taking care of their flightless offspring. With that kind of natural support, our help can be more of a hindrance and interference to the animal. However, there are times when minimal intervention is acceptable. If you see a fledgling bird or baby rabbit or possum too close to the road or in the path of the neighborhood cat, move it to a safer place, such as a nearby field, bush or low tree branch, and chase the cat or dog away. One common misconception is that birds and other mammals will not care for offspring that’s been touched by humans. Your brief contact will not cause parental desertion. In reality, the biggest problem is the stress caused to the animal while being handled; and excessive handling can ultimately lead to its death. Even if the little animal appears calm, inside the stress is invisiable to the human eye, and can literally kill the wild baby.

Here’s a look at when some of Ohio’s most common wildlife species will be rearing their young this season … Geese and Ducks : May through mid-July Canada geese construct their nests on the ground, with females incubating a clutch of three to eight white eggs for approximately 28 days. Ducks are similar, and will produce another nest with eggs if the first nest is destroyed. After hatching, the young are out of the nest within one to two days and marched to water, as one parent leads the way and the other protectively brings up the rear. This species is very devoted to its offspring and will possibly attack whatever comes between them and their goslings.Eastern cottontail rabbits: March through late September. If you find tiny rabbits in the nest, leave them alone. Female cottontails feed their young early in the morning before leaving the nest for her own food, and then returns to the nest after dusk for the nighttime feeding, and also to prevent drawing a predator’s attention to the nest. She is most likely nearby, but won't approach the nest while humans are around. Gray and Eastern fox squirrels: Give or take a month, these two squirrel species produce litters from February to April and again June to August. It isn’t unusual for a squirrel’s nest to be blown from a tree. If the young are knocked to the ground, you can help by ensuring no dogs, cats or curious humans get to them. The mother squirrel has 2 nests for these reasons, and if the other one is also destroyed, within a few short hours, the mother squirrel will rebuild a nest and then one-by-one carries her offspring up the tree to their new home. Songbirds, such as the Northern cardinal and American robin typically raise three broods a season, with their young fledging from May through August. White-tailed Deer : We don’t see the offspring of Ohio’s state wildlife symbol as often as the previously mentioned animals. However, they also fall prey to well-intentioned individuals. Born mid-May through July, often as twins, fawns come into the world with their eyes open, and are able to walk soon after birth. When the mother is away feeding, both fawns seek separate protective thickets of cover, which increases their chances of survival. The fawns venture out only two or three times a day when the female returns to nurse her young. They are born odorless so the chance of predators detecting them laying still is very slim. The fawns are sometimes left alone for several hours while the mother doe is away eating and grazing before returning to them. If you come across a young animal that you think is in distress, contact your local wildlife officer or wildlife district office for advice. Visit ohiodnr.com/wildlife or call 1-800-WILDLIFE for specific telephone numbers. Specially trained and licensed rehabilitators who provide care to orphaned and injured wildlife are another great source. A county listing of these professionals is available online at ohiodnr.com/wildlife/resources/orphans/rehabilitators_04.htm
State and federal laws protect Ohio wildlife and endangered species. Only persons with a permit from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife may possess a native wild animal.

As temperatures in the Ohio valley continue to rise, luring you into the out of doors, you’ll likely see more and more young animals. Just remember that unless something truly appears to be wrong, a broken limb or bleeding wound, leave wildlife alone to take care of itself, and remain in their natural wild world. And be honored they are they are there for us to see and enjoy in our wild Ohio.

Web Site = http://ohiodnr.com/notebook/oon.htm

Contact Details = Laura Jones, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
(614) 265-6811 or
laura.jones@dnr.state.oh.us