Leave young animals alone this spring, community safety ministry says

Baby animals may look like they need help, but getting close to young wildlife usually does more harm than good.

That’s the message Saskatchewan’s community safety ministry is sharing this spring. According to the ministry, contact with humans can greatly reduce the chances of a young animal’s survival.

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“Many wildlife species leave their young unattended for extended periods of time while they search for food or to avoid drawing attention from predators. In most cases, the parent is nearby and monitoring from a distance,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Wildlife are not pets, and it is illegal to take them from the wild.”

Contact with wild animals can pose a danger to humans as well, the ministry cautioned, as diseases like rabies and West Nile virus can be transmitted to humans from animals.

“The best response is to observe from a distance and do not touch or relocate the animal,” the ministry added.

An animal may be orphaned or abandoned if it has been in the same spot for several hours, or if it’s vocal, wet or covered in insects, the ministry said. But even then, the best thing to do is contact a local conservation officer or call the ministry for assistance.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct an error. A previous version attributed the statement to the environment ministry rather than community safety.