‘Ambitious’ visitor tries saving lonely baby deer, Georgia park says. That’s a problem
A Georgia park is urging visitors to “respect the wildlife” after someone tried to rescue a lonely baby deer.
While well-intended, rangers at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park say disturbing fawns does more harm than good.
“Just a reminder: the DOE’S KNOW what they’re doing!” officials said in a post shared on the park’s Facebook page. “Mother deer will leave their young in a safe place while they go off and forage.”
Rangers issued the statement June 12 after they said an “ambitious” visitor attempted to save a young deer that was left alone in the sprawling 2,923-acre acre park.
Experts said mother deer remember where they leave their young and are likely to return. Until then, it’s best to leave their babies be.
“Moving the fawn can cause confusion when mom tries to return and could even cause harm to the animal,” park rangers said.
“Fawns are hidden by the does for the first few weeks of their lives to avoid predators,” according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “It is not uncommon to see a fawn by itself. Does will leave fawns in protected areas, like a fenced yard, to help protect them from predators. Never pick up a fawn.”
If you are sure the doe is dead, or the fawn has been alone for over 24 hours, a wildlife rehabilitator should then be contacted, experts said.
“If you care, leave them there,” officials said.
Kennesaw is about a 30-mile drive northwest from downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published June 12, 2024 at 12:52 PM with the headline "‘Ambitious’ visitor tries saving lonely baby deer, Georgia park says. That’s a problem."