Is That Baby Animal Abandoned?
by Kiawah Island Golf Resort Naturalists
I
s that sweet little baby bird or rabbit really abandoned by its parents? Wild birds and mammals take excellent
care of their young and will often return to pick up or care for a baby that has left the nest. If you can, return the baby to
the nest. Few wild mothers would reject a baby just because it has been touched by a human; that is an old wives’ tale.
After all, you wouldn't be likely to reject your baby if he smelled like a squirrel! Here's a list of suggestions if you come
across a wild baby on Kiawah or anywhere else in the United States.
Mammals
• If you can find the baby’s nest, return it to the nest.
• If a nest is not in sight or inaccessible, give the mother four to eight hours to pick up the baby. Make sure no humans or
pets are around to scare off the mother. You can provide a heating pad or bedding to keep the baby warm, as long as it
can easily be found by the parent. If it is fully furred, has open eyes and can move around (especially a fawn or bunny)
leave it alone. The mother is still providing care to the baby, but will only visit a few times in a 24 hour period to avoid
drawing a predator’s attention.
• If the mother did not pick it up after about six hours, the baby can be taken to a local wildlife rehabilitator.
Birds
• If the baby bird is well feathered, has open eyes and can hop around, leave it alone or tuck it underneath a shrub. Baby
birds that can hop around but not fly are called fledglings. Young birds learn to fly away from the danger of the nest,
where predators are drawn in by the smell. Keep cats indoors during the breeding season, as baby birds are easy to
catch and are the perfect cat toy.
• If it has closed eyes, no feathers or cannot do more than stagger around, it has fallen out of the nest. All efforts should
be made to return the baby to the nest. If the nest is destroyed or completely inaccessible, the baby can be taken to a
local wildlife rehabilitator.
Reptiles
• Most baby reptiles (snakes, turtles, lizards) hatch with fully functional survival instincts and no parental care. They
should be left alone. It is against federal law to touch or interfere with baby sea turtles. Baby alligators are cared for by
the mother ‘gator and should most definitely be left alone!
The naturalists at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort Nature Center (843-768-6001) and the wildlife biologists at the
Town of Kiawah Island (843-768-9166) are great resources for information regarding the wild birds, mammals and reptiles
on Kiawah Island. The Nature Center can often coordinate transfer to a rehabilitation center if that is the recommended
course of treatment.
Juvenile wildlife photographs courtesy of Jim Chitwood (deer), Pamela Cohen (egrets) and Jamie Rood (alligator).
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