Wildlife Babies

In the spring, local wildlife rehabilitator, Maggie Ciarcia, starts receiving calls from people who find baby animals and want to know if they should rescue them. Often, well-meaning people inadvertently make orphans of these young animals. If you do find a truly injured or orphaned animal, take it to a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator. Maggie joins with other area wildlife rehabbers to give wildlife rehab workshops in the fall at local nature centers in Croton, Greenburg, Scarsdale and Yonkers. "This is a great place to start, to get an overview of what rehab is all about-pros and cons" states our own hero to local wildlife, Maggie Ciarcia. In her 15th year as a New York State licensed wildlife rehabilitator, Maggie offers some basic tips when encountering wildlife situations:

• If you have to chase it to catch it, MOST likely it doesn't need your help.
• Don't make orphans. Please don't unnecessarily take a young animal away from its parents. Mother animals do a much better job than we can.
• If you do find a truly injured or orphaned animal, take it to a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator.
• Do not give any food, water or milk to a baby animal without checking with a rehabber first. If the baby aspirates the food or water, it could die.
• Keep the animal warm, dark and quiet.
• Please watch for rabbit's nests when mowing your lawn in the spring. The Massachusetts Audubon Society advises that if a rabbit nest is discovered in a lawn or other location close to people or pets, by far the simplest solution is to tolerate its presence. This situation will last for a very brief time because young rabbits leave the nest very early in life – about two weeks after birth. No attempt should be made to relocate a nest as it is highly unlikely that the mother cottontail will succeed in finding it. To protect the nest from lawn mowers etc., place three foot high stakes in a circle, at least eight feet from the nest and attach “caution tape” to each stake. This is a better solution than fencing because nest area will be visible and the movement of the young will not be restricted. Keep pets and children away from the nest. Mammals, in contrast to birds, have an acute sense of smell and often reject young that have been handled by people. If a child brings in a rabbit removed from a nest, immediately return the cottontail to the nest. Wear gloves and handle the animal as little as possible to avoid transferring odor to it. If the rabbit has been handled, before placing it back in the nest, rub grass between your hands and then wipe your hands on the rabbit’s back. Hopefully this will conceal any human odor. For more answers, visit the House Rabbit Society articles on orphaned baby bunnies.
• Read more of Maggie's tips on what you can do to help our wildlife babies and safety advice for encounters with wildlife from the Humane Soceity of the United States