I FOUND A WILDLIFE BABY
IT IS ALWAYS BEST WHEN A BABY CAN BE REUNITED WITH OR RECLAIMED BY IT’S MOTHER however every situation is unique & should be considered on an individual basis. If you do not feel it is in the best interest to leave the animal, contact a wildlife rehabilitator - before moving it IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. Your hasty judgement could cost the animal it’s life.
WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
Before snatching up a baby bird from the ground, please read the following and/or call a licensed bird rehabber. You might think you’re helping, but it may end up being the worst thing you can do for that baby!
Many types of birds leave the nest and spend 2 - 5 days on the ground before they can fly! This is an imperative part of the proper development of young birds. Although you may not see the parents, the babies are still being cared for and protected by them. This is when they are learning how to find food, fly & identify predators. Interfering in this process eliminates the skills that’s required for survival.
BABY
BIRDS
BABY BUNNIES
Human intervention is seldom the best option for wild bunnies. There is a 90% mortality rate with orphaned baby rabbits in human care, especially cottontails. This number increases if the rabbits are very young and their eyes still closed. They are extremely difficult to "save". There is little substitute for the nutrients their mother's milk provides. Often they die of bloat, improper feeding or overfeeding. The immune system of an unweaned bunny under 4 weeks is not fully developed. Although they are very cute, wild baby rabbits are very easily stressed & just handling it can cause them to have heart failure.
Opossums
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover! While possums may not be the cutest wildlife, they are certainly one of the most interesting! They are the only marsupial in all of North America, meaning the female will carry and nurse her young in her pouch where they will remain until about two to three months of age.
There are usually 3 cases in which opossum babies need human help:
1) The mother is found dead with babies in her pouch, clinging to her or wandering around confused usually within 50’ of the mother.
2) Baby (or babies) fall off of the mother and the mother continues walking.
3) Mother has been injured preventing mobility.
Learn more about these fascinating creatures and how you can help them by clicking here.
These animals seem to get themselves into more trouble than most wildlife because they’re so curious, playful and nimble. They’re often discovered in the bottom of dumpsters where they find themselves with no way out after their scavenger hunt. A long board, thick tree branch, or even a ladder placed in the dumpster can provide them with the needed escape route when they’re then left alone.
Raccoons
If you find a baby squirrel outside the nest first check to see if it is warm. If so, chances are good that the mother is close by. Leave the immediate area and just observe. Do you see any adult squirrels or other babies in the nearby vicinity? Have you observed them in this area in the past? Is there a known nest nearby? Their nests are generally in a tree hollow or up high into the tree in a nest made of sticks and leaves.
If you have determined the mother is not around, place the baby in a small box with a soft cloth in the bottom. Baby squirrels cannot thermoregulate (maintain their core body temperature) so it will need to be warmed up gently but immediately.