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Show Leave baby animals alone! - PRICE Each year the Division of Wildlife Resources receives calls from people who pick up baby animals and birds, take them home and wonder what to do with them. Unfortunately, the outcome is usually tragic. The DWR doesn't have the facilities or personnel to raise young wildlife. Zoos typically have more local wildlife specimens than they can handle. As a result, the baby animals almost always die. The best thing to do with any wildlife baby is leave it alone. Don't touch it. Don't cuddle it. And don't take i( home. Wildlife babies are almost never orphaned, even when they appear to be alone. The parent is aware of the baby's location and needs, but stays away most of the time to keep the baby's whereabouts a secret. Even if you don't carry off the baby animal, your touch could result in tragedy. Human scent remains on the baby, which may cause abandonment by the parent, or lead a hungry predator to its next meal. Human handling is in itself stressful to the baby animal, and its struggling to escape could result in injury. . . - - |