MULE DEER FAWNS are born with creamy brown coats. These coats make the fawns invisible to predators.
Photo by Scott Root | Utah DWR
But if you happen to come across a fawn or another baby of a wild animal, the safest thing to do is to leave it where it is.
“While we appreciate and share the caller’s concern, the best thing to do with a newly born deer or elk is to leave it right where you found it,” said Ron Stewart, regional outreach conservation manager for DWR. “The same rule applies to all baby animals including birds, cubs, or any wild baby animal.”
Deer and elk have several techniques at their disposal in order to get rid of predators, said Stewart. And even though their strategies may not seem to be working, they are, in fact, an effective tool for fending off any animal looking for them.
For example, deer fawns learn to walk soon after they’re born, but they aren’t very coordinated. However, the color of their coats helps serve as a “camouflage” to most fawn predators, as they typically have a good sense of smell but can only see black and white.
For more information check out June 21 addition of Davis Clipper.
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