June can bring wildlife babies to places we might not normally see them. Wildlife babies are so adorable, and so susceptible to prey and for some reason to us empathetic humans, their moms seem clueless as to how to protect their young. It is the season where us humans generally step in for the wrong reasons. Usually, the largest threat to baby wildlife in our community is humans, our vehicles, our pets and even the goodness of our hearts. Here are some pointers and information on some wildlife babies we may encounter and what we should do when we do. (Big Hint here: Usually just stay away and do nothing).
Mother rabbits only visit the nest up to two times per day. They stay away to avoid contaminating the nest with their adult “rabbity” scent therefore protecting the nest from predators. Baby rabbits leave the nest as soon as their fur grows, their scent glands mature, ears are up and eyes are open, which is usually at about three to five weeks. They are still very tiny at this time. If you come across a rabbit nest with baby bunnies in it leave it be. If any of the bunnies are outside of the nest it is okay to move them back into the nest, the mom will not discard the babies upon her return. If you come across a lone baby bunny with full hair and open eyes you should also leave it be. The best thing to do is to keep your pets away and it will soon hop away. The only time you should intervene is if the baby is crying or obviously injured. Baby rabbits do not do well in captivity and have a low threshold for stress. Hanging close by will increase stress levels and could cause more harm than good. If you find a bunny who is injured or crying contact your local wildlife rehabber for suggestions on next steps.
June is also baby bat season. Mama bats usually only have one pup per season and the pup is usually hairless and less than one inch long. Juvenile bats will have velvet like fur. Each adult bat will catch thousands of insects per night. Many can be seen swooping and swirling over open fields and bodies of water including swimming pools. Bats are the only mammal capable of flight and use echolocation at night to hunt. Injured or found baby bats, should only be handled with thick gloves or not at all. Your best bet and the bat’s is to contact a local wildlife rehabber or specific bat rehabber. Flying bats are dangerous to try to capture as they could suffer injuries and could also panic and look to bite whoever is trying to catch them. If a person has bat saliva or a bite contact the bat will have to be euthanized to test for rabies, even though bats with rabies are very uncommon. Bats are protected and while their predators are owls hawks and snakes the biggest threats to bats are disease such as the fungus known as white-nose syndrome and humans via habitat loss.
In late May the Chesterfield Police Department assisted a fawn after a concerned citizen found it. Officers returned the fawn to the location where it was found, away from the roadway and among other deer. Keep in mind that fawns are left by their mommas to bed down in fields or meadows with tall grasses. Fawns are not strong enough to keep up with the herd and they do not give off a sent. Additionally, their spotted coat allows them to blend into the ground cover. As with baby bunnies, if you come across a fawn alone do not call Child Protective Services on its mom and just leave it be. Keep your pets, lawn mowers and tractors away until Momma comes back after feeding for the day. If the fawn appears sick or injured contact the NJ Fish and Wildlife dept or a wildlife rehabber. Do not attempt to move it unless it is in imminent danger or there is evidence of injury.
We are fortunate to have red foxes in our community. Fox parents are known to be very protective and work together to rear their young. Newborn kits are born in a den and are blind and deaf at birth, leaving newborn kits susceptible to being preyed upon by owls, hawks, eagles and even coyotes. Due to their susceptibility the mother fox will remain in the den with the kits for at least a month while the father fox hunts to feed his family. May times after they leave the den, they move the kits to a different den in a protected area which sometimes, if we are fortunate will be at the edges of our back yards. If you are lucky enough to be a host to a fox family it is best to keep your distance, keep your pets away for the short time they will be there and enjoy just watching them frolic, play and grow in the early mornings and early evenings.
In the month of June, it is very likely that you will see a turtle crossing a roadway. This is because it is the time of year that female turtles look to find a safe place to lay their eggs. The turtle you see may be going to lay their eggs or returning from laying the eggs and since she can’t tell you, you should just leave her be. If the turtle is in danger of a predator or motor vehicle, then you can assist them along. Please keep in mind that if you do assist them, you should only move them off the road and in the direction, they were headed. What they lack in speed they make up for in their navigational skills. They know where they are headed and will not be deterred. If you do not move them in the direction they were headed, they will most likely turn back and in a bit(maybe a few hours) they will be back in the road and in danger. If your turtle friend is NOT a snapper pick it up firmly by the side of its shell, it could hiss or even release urine so keep it away from your clothes and do not attempt to cuddle! If your turtle friend is a not so friendly snapper it is best if small to use a stick or long instrument to gently urge it along. If your snapper is large, bigger than a saucer it is best to find a thick branch, broom, or rake to urge it along. Never allow your hands to be anywhere near a snapping turtle’s face which is from the back of the shell to the front of the shell. Their necks can reach behind them. Failure to follow this advice could result in snapped fingers, noses, and wrists.
For all wildlife that you encounter out there in the wilds of Chesterfield remember that they are called wild animals for a reason, they are not domesticated, they are not supposed to be domesticated and should be left to their own devices whenever possible. You should NEVER take an animal from the wild and keep it in a cage or tank at home as a pet. Even rehabbers have a goal of eventual reintroduction to the wild.
If you do find a truly abandoned or injured baby or just do not trust the mantra of “Just let it be” here are some links that may be useful for you:
NJ Dept of Fish and Wildlife: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/
Mercer County Wildlife Center: http://www.wildlifecenterfriends.org/
Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge: https://www.cedarrun.org/
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