Cute Critters
One of the things I most remember about summer vacations is the baby animals we would encounter somewhere during our visit with nature. Fawns, baby rabbits, little chipmunks, young ducks and geese to name a few.
I can remember one baby fawn in particular that probably had not been born but a couple hours before we stumbled on it. You talk about cute! Everyone wanted to take it home and keep it as a pet. In fact it started following us around much to our delight. The mother deer was nowhere in sight, so we readily assumed she abandoned the little guy. All the more reason for us to take it home where it could be raised “proper.”
Good thing my dad was a tad smarter about the ways of the wild than we were. He warned us not to touch it because we may leave our human odor on it, thus spooking the mother. He assured us the mother was around hidding in the woods somewhere, and as soon as we got far enough away from her baby, she would return. We didn’t want to believe dad cause a pet deer would really be neat. We would be the only kids on the block to have one was our thinking. Well dad set us straight on that one also! For one thing he said its against the law to take a wild critter from its natural surroundings. He also said the chances for a fawn staying alive under human care is slim indeed.
We sure didn’t want that to happen, so we backed away from “Bambi” and waited. Sure enough; my dad was right! Momma deer came and rescued her little one, and back into the forest they ran.
Please keep in mind, this summer, that the wonderful beautiful things, in nature, you encounter belong “in nature.” If you suspect a problem (like abandonment or injury) call the local DNR or police and let the professionals handle it.
Mike