Watch, don’t touch baby birds and other wild creatures

With spring comes baby animal season, a time when birds and wildlife of all kinds are busily making nests and dens and raising their young. Texas Parks and Wildlife wants to remind the public that, while baby animals are cute, don’t ever touch or pick one up unless you are absolutely certain that the animal is orphaned or injured. Many baby birds that fall out of the nest can be fed by their parents on the ground and fledglings that appear to have fallen are actually just learning how to fly. Says TPWD, “If the bird’s eyes are open, it has a coat of feathers and is hopping around, it is probably fine.” Deer fawning season begins in early to mid-May. A mother deer leaves her fawn carefully hidden in tall grass or brush for hours at a time while she forages for food. If you find a fawn all alone, most likely it’s not abandoned but is waiting for its mother to return. Wild babies are always better off being raised by their parents. As TPWD says, “Leave all young animals alone unless it is obviously injured or orphaned. To be sure, spend time observing the wild animal from a distance to make that determination. Staying too close may deter the mother from returning. Interfering too soon may do more harm than good.” Learn more about orphaned or injured wildlife here. Find a list of wildlife rehabilitation groups by county here.