Wildlife experts urge public not to disturb baby deer during ‘fawn-napping’ season

Wildlife experts in Monterey County are warning residents not to mistakenly “rescue” baby deer found alone outdoors as spring brings the start of what is known as “fawn-napping” season.

In a statement, officials with SPCA Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center said they have already received six fawns this year that were unintentionally separated from their mothers after people assumed the animals had been abandoned.

Two of the fawns were reunited with their mothers, two died and two remain under professional care, the organization said.

“It’s a heartbreaking mistake,” said Ciera Duits-Cavanaugh, manager of the SPCA Wildlife Center. “People see a tiny fawn curled up alone in the grass and assume it’s been abandoned. In reality, that mother deer is nearby, watching and waiting for the humans to leave so she can return to her baby. By picking them up, people are unintentionally kidnapping these animals from the wild.”

“Fawns are extremely sensitive to stress. The fear of being handled by humans, combined with an incorrect diet even for one day, severely decreases their chance of survival. …”
Ciera Duits-Cavanaugh, SPCA Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center manager

Wildlife experts said mother deer commonly leave fawns hidden for long periods during the day to protect them from predators, returning mainly at dawn and dusk to nurse.

The SPCA center urged residents not to touch fawns, keep dogs away and avoid lingering near the animals because mother deer may avoid returning if humans or pets are nearby.

The organization explained that a fawn generally needs professional help only if it is lying flat on its side, walking and crying for more than an hour, showing visible injuries, or if its mother is confirmed dead nearby.

“Fawns are extremely sensitive to stress,” Duits-Cavanaugh said. “The fear of being handled by humans, combined with an incorrect diet even for one day, severely decreases their chance of survival. Please, call us before you act.”

The nonprofit urged anyone concerned about a fawn to contact its wildlife rescue center before intervening. The SPCA Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center said it admits more than 2,000 animals annually and is the only full-service wildlife rehabilitation center serving Monterey County.