You walk around your yard, and suddenly you almost step on a nest of baby bunnies! There they are, in a shallow nest lined with fur and grass. They’re all alone, so your first thought is that they’re orphaned. The reality, though, is that mom is nearby but is staying away from her babies because she has an odor, but they don’t. She doesn’t want to attract predators due to her scent. So she only returns twice a day to nurse her babies, when no one … [Read more...]
Is That Baby Deer Really Orphaned?
In late spring and summer, many people are astonished to find an adorable, helpless-looking baby deer, or fawn curled up in their yard. Some assume the fawn is orphaned and in need of help, and run out to grab the animal. They don’t realize that this is the worst thing they can possibly do. Nature's camouflage... What’s happened is that the mother deer has “parked” her fawn there on purpose – in a place that seemed safe in the night. Deer … [Read more...]