Oh deer!

Photo: The Canadian Press

Conservation officers in Kelowna are warning the public about fawning season.

The cute fawns may look lonely but they want to get the message out that the baby deer should not be touched or moved.

“Every year, well-intentioned people try to rescue fawns and other young ungulates mistakenly thought to be orphaned, but these interventions do more harm than good,” said conservation officer Ken Owens.

Fawns are often seen lying quietly in vegetation for hours at a time, especially the first weeks of their lives.

“Although these babies may look abandoned, they are not,” said Owens.

If humans remove the babies from their rest spots they can end up being orphaned as deer often leave their young alone for long periods and return to them later.

If a fawn is spotted, conservation officers suggest these following steps:  

• If the fawn is lying quietly and appears uninjured, leave it alone.
• Keep pets away from the area.
• If you think the fawn is not being cared for by its mother, return the next day to check on it.  If it is in the exact same spot and bleating, it may be orphaned.
• It is important to handle deer orphans carefully and minimize human contact in order to give them the best chance of surviving and returning to the wild.

If you believe a fawn is orphaned or injured you can contact Conservation Officers at 1-877-952-7277.