REMINDER: Leave Baby Animals in Montana Alone

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On March 20, 2025, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks sent out a reminder to leave baby animals alone and to be mindful of diseases. Each spring, FWP receives calls from people who have picked up baby wildlife they’ve found in town, in their yards, or in the wild. They say it’s often done out of concern for the animal, but almost always does more harm than good. 

According to FWP, wildlife care for their young much differently than humans. They have strategies to provide the highest chance of survival for their young and those strategies frequently involve leaving them alone for periods of time. This is common with deer and rabbits, which are common around Montana. 

FWP said fawns are born with very little scent, excellent camouflage, and an instinct to stay put. Their mothers feed away from their fawns to avoid attracting the attention of predators. Humans can attract the interest of predators just by lingering around baby animals, revealing their hiding spots. 

FWP added that baby ground squirrels, raccoons, and rabbits can carry zoonotic diseases, which means diseases that are infectious for humans. They said examples include plague, hemorrhagic diseases, and tularemia. 

What can you do?  

• Leave It There. It’s natural for deer and elk to leave their young alone for extended periods of time. 
• Control Your Dog. Keep your dog under control, especially in the spring when newborn wildlife is most vulnerable. Pet owners can be cited and dogs that harass or kill wildlife may by law have to be destroyed.  
• Keep in Mind. It is illegal to possess and care for a live animal taken from the wild.  
• Should someone bring a deer or elk to FWP, they'll be asked to take the animal back to the site where it was found.  If the animal can't be returned, it may need to be humanely euthanized. 
• Remember, if you care, leave them there.