THE Scottish SPCA is asking members of the public in Dumfriesshire to be #WildlifeWise around fawns after a number came in to its care after being uplifted by passers-by.
Of the nine fawns that have been brought to the Society, seven of those were taken from their natural environment by people who have potentially mistaken the animals as abandoned by their parents. Scotland’s animal welfare charity recently launched its #WildlifeWise campaign to educate the public on when they should contact them about young wildlife.
The aim of the campaign is not to create orphans unnecessarily. Female deer will leave their young from an early age while they forage for food. The doe will leave its fawn in long grass or under bushes to protect it from predators.
The charity is asking people to be #WildlifeWise and stay a safe distance away from fawns and not to contact its helpline unless the young deer is showing signs of needing assistance. A mother will return to the fawn and feed it so if someone does return later and the fawn does not show any signs of needing help then it should be left alone.
Mike Flynn, the Scottish SPCA’s chief superintendent, said: “Deer can find situations very stressful and by removing a fawn when there is no need to, it can cause great distress to mother and baby. “If you come across a fawn, please stay well back and do not alert it to your presence. Make sure dogs are kept on a lead. Monitor the fawn over several hours. A mother will return to feed its young and then go off again. If there are still no signs of the fawn needing help when you check back, please leave it alone. People should only intervene if the fawn is injured or the mother is deceased nearby.”
