Mammals that appear abandoned:
Fawns
Fawns are taught to sit very still, usually in the forest or in tall grass. Occasionally, you may see a fawn lying motionless alongside a roadway. This is one of the defence mechanisms which protects it from predators. Young fawns do not have a scent, and therefore do not attract predators. The mother leaves her fawn for up to twenty four hours while she feeds.
WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I SEE A FAWN?
- Only intervene if a young fawn with an umbilical cord appears to be left alone for up to twelve hours.
- Only intervene if an older fawn appears to be left alone for up to twenty-four hours.
- Intervene if the fawn or doe has a life threatening injury.
If you find a fawn on the side of the road, gently herd it off the road where another passerby will not see it. The mother and fawn have most likely been separated while crossing the road. Do not feed the fawn !!- improper feeding can cause severe damage to the intestinal tract and could cause death.
Please, be very careful when handling the fawn, as animals do carry ticks, fleas or parasites that could be dangerous to your health.
Please be aware that having wildlife in your possession without a permit is against the law.
Ministry of Environment Land Water Air hotline for wildlife reports 1-877-952-7277
SEALS
NEW INFORMATION IS EMERGING EACH YEAR HOW TO HELP SEALS PUPS BEING FOUND ON THE BEACH?
RECENTLY (2009) NIWRC VOLUNTEERS ATTENDED A WORKSHOP HELD BY FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA, PACIFIC REGION.
THEY INDICATED TO US THAT SEAL PUPS SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE UNLESS INTERVENTION IS NECESSARY. PLEASE CALL THEIR OBSERVE, REPORT AND RECORD LINE AT 1-800-465-4336 if you need help!!
What should you do?
DO NOT:
- DO NOT touch, move, disturb or harass the seal
- DO NOT try to feed the seal
- DO NOT pour water on the seal as they are often on shore to dry off.
- DO NOT force the seal into the water.
DO:
- DO stay a safe distance away from the seal.
- DO keep pets and children away to avoid harmful interaction
- DO observe the condition, size, and location of the seal.
- DO call the Fisheries and Oceans Canada hotline if you see a seal being harassed or harmed
- DO call a seal rehabilitation centre if you believe the seal is sick, injured or abandoned.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU CAN DO PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING REHABILITATION CENTRES.
If you come across an injured seal, the first thing to do is call for help.
In BC you can call the:
Vancouver Aquarium
at 604-258-SEAL(7325)
Fisheries & Oceans Canada Hot line: 1-800-465-4336
Natural Care Centre on Salt Spring Island - 250-537-0777
CAN I KEEP HIM? NO!
If you have found a wild animal that is truly in crisis, you may be facing a dilemma. Of course you want to do what's best for the animal, but you may find it difficult to turn him or her over to a rehabilitator. Letting go can be hard when the animal is a baby. The temptation to care for the baby yourself may be strong. And having eager young children in the house begging to raise the animal does not make the decision any easier. So why can't you keep the animal?
In almost every case, keeping a wild animal is illegal. Native wildlife species are protected by provincial and federal laws. To keep a wild animal in captivity for any length of time, for any reason, requires a special permit.
More importantly, wild animals deserve the best possible care. Providing the proper care is challenging because each species has specialized needs. Orphans need special diets and formulas to grow strong and healthy. They also must learn survival skills, including how to recognize and find food, how to escape predators, and how and where to make a nest, den, or burrow before being released back into the wild. Young animals need to be raised in the company of their own kind for proper behavioural development. infections, parasites, and injuries are difficult to detect and treat in wild animals.
There is also the welfare of your own family to consider. Wild animals can be dangerous, especially when frightened or injured. Wildlife diseases, such as distemper, may pose a threat to companion animals, while others, including rabies, can be transmitted to humans, too. Turning the animal over to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator is the best way to safeguard human and pet safety while providing the wild animal with the best chance of survival.
Most people who want to care for a wild animal themselves plan to release the animal once it is grown or has recovered from its injuries. That is the goal of wildlife rehabilitation, but rehabilitators have an advantage when they return their patients to the wild - they have years of experience in letting go. Learning to avoid becoming too attached to a patient is an important part of becoming a good wildlife rehabilitator.
If you are tempted to care for a wild animal on your own, please ask yourself these questions first:
- what is the best thing i can do for this animal?
- If I'm having a hard time letting go of the animal now, how will i feel after I've really grown attached?
- Am I prepared to deal with the legal and financial consequences of keeping a wild animal illegally? How will i feel if the animal is discovered, confiscated, and possibly euthanized?
- Can i be certain that, once I've released the animal back to the wild, it is capable of surviving on its own? Am i providing the best possible chance for survival?
- How will i feel if the animal does not survive or its permanently impaired by my improper care?
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