Fort Knox Environmental Management Division officials are asking those who live and work on the installation to avoid white-tailed deer fawns they find alone.
May through June is the time of year for white-tailed deer to give birth. During this time, fawns may be found alone on areas of the installation; people may even walk up on them.
In the past, people have thought when they found a young fawn hiding in the vegetation that it was abandoned, which is far from the truth. Young fawns actually survive by having very little scent and hiding very still in cover to evade predators, and does will leave them alone for extended periods, returning periodically to nurse.
If somebody sees a fawn hiding or they walk up on one, they are asked to leave the area and try not to disturb the animal in any way. Aside from potentially causing the mother to abandon the fawn, it is also illegal to possess species of wildlife without a permit, or to harass them because and it can be potentially dangerous.
If a fawn is picked up for whatever reason, it must then be cared for in captivity by licensed wildlife rehabilitation centers authorized to possess wildlife. As a result, officials are urging people to do wildlife a favor and try not to help the babies of any species. Wildlife parents are much better equipped to care for their offspring than are humans.
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