Good intentions can hurt: Keep wildlife in the wild

As young animals appear in backyards, local parks and unexpected areas, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife is reminding Ohioans to keep wildlife wild this spring. Watching wildlife from afar and reducing interactions gives young animals the best chance of survival.

Wildlife parents are devoted to their young and rarely abandon them. Usually, young wildlife observed alone are not orphaned or abandoned, but are waiting for a parent to return. Watch these young animals from a distance and avoid intervening without guidance from a wildlife professional. Most wildlife taken in by people other than trained and licensed wildlife rehabilitators do not survive despite the good intentions of their rescuers.