What
to do when finding injured
or abandoned wildlife.
When coming across wildlife, it's
extremely important to be sure that it is actually in distress and that the parents are
not, in fact, close by and taking care of it. Often young mammals and birds leave the nest
or den at a young age, so that the parents can teach it to feed and care for itself.
As
long as parents are close by do not try to rescue it. They can do a much better job than
we can.
If it is obviously injured, ill, or
starving, then intervention is necessary. Care should always be taken (even with the
young) not to be bitten. Throw a towel over it and scoop it into a box.
Very young baby
birds should be put back into the nest whenever possible, or a makeshift nest placed as
close to the original as possible. Human scent does NOT cause abandonment.
Keep warm and
quiet and call a local licensed rehabilitator as soon as
possible. Do not try to feed until the body temperature is brought back to normal with a
heating pad or incandescent lamp. Remove any natural bedding and put in into a towel for
warmth. Be sure to remove any frayed ends that can entangle the animal and cause
further damage. An old tee shirt works best. |
|
