Colorado Parks & Wildlife Says ‘Leave Young Wildlife Alone’

Colorado Parks and Wildlife went to social media to remind us all to "leave young wildlife alone."

When they posted on Facebook, CP&W went so far as to use all caps. You know what that means. Put simply, this is an important and very urgent point.

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Why the reminder?

Via their Facebook post, CP&W says:

Each year, we receive an increase of calls and office visits from people reporting they 'rescued' young wildlife that appeared 'abandoned' by adult animals. Wildlife experts agree it’s normal for adult animals to leave their young in safe places while they search for food.

 

So, what do you do if you see an "abondoned" or injured animal?

According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife official webpage, should you notice young wildlife that has been alone for a day or two, call the CPW office. They will work along with certified wildlife rehabilitation centers to get aid for the animal. The webpage specifically states "Do not move the animal."

Why is this so important?

CPW states they are very aware that reports are made with the best of intentions. Unfortunately, by moving young wildlife and bringing them to the CPW offices, people do more harm than good.

According to the CPW webpage, young animals that have been removed "cannot be successfully returned to the wild, as the mother will not continue searching for a missing baby or reject it because it was handled by humans and may no longer smell like her baby."

The CPW adds, "People that feed, touch, or remove wildlife from their natural environment are actually causing them harm and may even cause the death of that animal."