Important Reminder For People Who Discover Young Wild Animals In Wisconsin

Signs of spring are popping up at different levels throughout Wisconsin. Snow is melting, or is already gone, temperatures continue to rise overall, and everyone is enjoying increased daylight.

Another thing that happens this time of year is that wild animals and their young will be on the move across Wisconsin, and people may encounter young animals on their property or while enjoying the great outdoors.

With that in mind, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wanted to reach out to the public with an important reminder: knowing what to do before you find a young wild animal can make all the difference for its safety and for keeping it in the wild with its parents, where it belongs.

What To Do If You Encounter A Young Wild Animal Alone Outdoors

Young animals are very cute, and when people see them alone, it can be concerning. Jenna Fastner, DNR captive wildlife health specialist, says they receive many inquiries from people concerned about the safety of young wildlife they discover.

However, Fastner says that it's "perfectly natural" for many species of young wild animals to be left alone for extended periods of time, and people should leave them alone.

"Wild animals are well-adapted to life in the wild, and learning natural behaviors from their own species is imperative to their survival," Fastner said.

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Rather than approach young wild animals, the DNR says the public should help keep wildlife wild by observing from a safe distance, which provides the animals the best chance of survival.

Some common young wild animals you may encounter this spring in Wisconsin include:

• Cottontail rabbit kits can be encountered anytime from spring through fall. They open their eyes at one week old and begin exploring outside the nest for short periods to nibble on grasses after about 2-3 weeks.
• Eastern gray squirrels raise their young in leaf nests, called dreys, tree cavities, and man-made structures such as attics. Litters typically consist of two to four young, called kits. By 7 weeks old, they will begin to explore outside the nest area.
• Opossums are the only marsupial in North America, and females have a pouch on their abdomen in which they carry and nurse their young. As they grow, joeys begin to ride on their mother’s back until they are approximately 7 inches long from snout to rump when they become independent.
• Raccoon kits are 12-14 inches long and capable of walking, climbing, and exploring by 6-8 weeks of age. When they're at the exploring stage, they can be seen active during the day without their mother.

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The DNR notes that wildlife rehabilitation facilities often reach capacity during the warmer months and need to limit admissions of sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife.

Therefore, the public can help reserve space for wild animals truly in need by always contacting a licensed professional for advice before assuming a wild animal needs help.

Lastly, remember that in Wisconsin, you must have a license to conduct wildlife rehabilitation, and you should never try to care for a wild animal yourself to protect their health and yours.