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Time for annual refresher on living with wild animals
 
Attempting to “rescue” an injured or seemingly abandoned baby wild animal usually does more harm than good, according to Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife officials. It’s also illegal if you don’t have the proper permit or don’t take the animal straight to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
This time of year, thousands of animals are born in the wild. With the spread of suburban areas into their natural habitats, young animals are increasingly born near humans, who might discover them without an adult animal nearby.
While some baby animals may be orphaned or abandoned, it is not always true, according to Linnea Petercheff, operations staff specialist for the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. For example, rabbits come to the nest to feed their young only a couple of times a day.
“The apparent lack of an adult does not mean a young animal is orphaned,” Petercheff explained. “Adults often leave their young alone, safe in nests or dens, while they forage for food – but rarely do they abandon their young.”
Picking up a baby animal not orphaned or abandoned is unnecessary and bad for the animal. Such animals also pose risks for humans. They may look helpless, cute and cuddly, but they can bite or scratch. Some wild animals carry parasites and infectious diseases, which may be transmittable to humans.
The best way to make sure an animal is truly orphaned is to leave it alone, except to check it periodically. If you are still unsure if it’s been abandoned, place some strings or sticks across the nest. Place grass across a rabbit nest with young in it.
If the items are later found to be disturbed, the mother has probably returned, and you should leave the young animal alone.
If you encounter young wildlife out of a nest (such as a bird), it is okay to gently return it to the nest. Otherwise, trust that an adult mother is caring for it.
The best way to make sure a fawn appearing to be alone is truly orphaned is to check it periodically. Before taking any action, remember the following:
•Call a licensed wild animal rehabilitator; find the list by going to the DNR website www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild and clicking on “Wildlife Rehabilitation.”
•Leave the fawn alone, and its mother will probably come and get it. Deer can take better care of their young than a human can.
•Human scent on the fawn will not prevent the mother from taking care of it.
•If you do not see any deer nearby, have someone watch the fawn without being seen by the mother. In most cases, the mother will come back and get the fawn after you leave the area.
If you believe the mother has not returned to a nest or a deer has not come back to her fawn, or you know the mother is no longer alive, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator listed at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5492.htm
When it comes to taking an animal home, state laws prohibit keeping protected wild animals without a permit. Most wild animals are protected by law and cannot be kept. Federal laws also prohibit possession of migratory birds, including songbirds, raptors and waterfowl.
It is even illegal to treat wild animals for sickness or injury without a permit. Wild animal rehabilitation permits are issued to qualified individuals who take in sick, injured or orphaned wild animals with the intent of releasing them back into the wild.
If you encounter an injured, truly abandoned or sick wild animal, do one of the following:
•Call a licensed wild animal rehabilitator; find the list by going to www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild and clicking on “Wildlife Rehabilitation.”
•Call the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife at 317-232-4080.
•Call your DNR law enforcement district headquarters or regional headquarters; contact information is at www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2755.htm
•Call a licensed veterinarian for immediate assistance with a sick or severely injured wild animal.
Be advised that if you call for the services of a private, licensed veterinarian, you will be responsible for paying for the treatment of the animal.
Eagles hatch at Potato Creek

Persistence has paid off for the bald eagles at Potato Creek State Park. This spring is the fourth consecutive year a bald eagle pair has nested at Potato Creek, and the first time eagles have produced offspring, hatching three eaglets in a remote area. The view of the nest is now mainly blocked by leaves. But park visitors can look for the eagles over Worster Lake as the birds catch fish for their young. The best places to eagle watch are the fishing pier by the Porter Rea Cemetery and the East Boat Launch.
The chicks should be ready to fly by late June. In the fall, they will disperse and wander around North America for four years. When they are 4-5 years old, they will return to the area where they hatched to find a mate and nest.
The pair hatching the eaglets is likely the same pair which nested unsuccessfully the three previous years; however, there is no way for park officials to be certain.
In 2012 and 2013, bald eagles enhanced an osprey nest by adding sticks and were observed mating, but they left when the ospreys returned and did not have young. In 2014, eagles built their own nest in the park’s southwestern corner, but again did not produce any young.
Potato Creek also has four nesting pairs of ospreys again, the highest concentration of any area in Indiana. Nesting osprey pairs are outnumbered by nesting eagles by a ratio of about 4-to-1 in Indiana. Adult bald eagles can be distinguished from osprey by their white tail and white head. Ospreys are smaller and have a brown stripe through their eyes and a dark tail.
In order not to disturb the birds, visitors are encouraged to view the bald eagles and all wildlife from a distance. Potato Creek State Park is located at 25601 State Road 4, North Liberty, IN 46554.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by email at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.
5/21/2015