It’s that time of year when young of birds and animals are being born. It’s not uncommon to find baby rabbits in your yard or birds that may have either fallen out of the nest or have fledged but still not able to take wing. A few years back I discovered a baby opossum in my backyard. But it was deceased so either the mother abandoned it, or a fox got it.

While these findings encourage well-meaning folks to intervene, the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) says to leave wildlife alone. Adding that while some young animals appear to be abandoned, it’s likely their mothers are nearby and watching them.

According to the PGC, mid-late spring and early summer are popular times for humans to encounter newborn and young wildlife. Matt Schnupp, PGC Bureau of Wildlife Management said, “Whether enjoying their backyards or recreating in the woods or water, it’s common for humans to witness new generations of wildlife in their natural habitats. But the best advice is to simply let them be.”

Adult animals often leave their young while they forage for food. Typically, Schnupp says, the adults will not venture far and will return. Wildlife also rely on a natural defensive tactic called “hider strategy, “ where young animals will remain motionless and “hide” in surrounding cover while adults draw the attention of potential predators or other intruders away from their young. Deer fawns will often employ this strategy while their mothers are nearby. So it’s best to resist the urge to interfere or attempt to remove any wild animal from its natural setting. There are instances I’ve seen on neighborhood watch posts where a resident had fox kits under their garden shed where they were obviously born.

I also recall a story told by the former PGC bear biologist Gary Alt who said he had a resident call him to report a bear had given birth to two babies under their house deck.

Making contact with young wildlife can be harmful to people and wildlife in that wild animals can lose their natural fear of humans, making it difficult or even impossible for them to readjust to the wild.

There’s also the human risk of contacting diseases or parasites such as fleas, ticks and lice.

From a legal standpoint, it’s illegal to take or possess wildlife from the wild. Under state law, the penalty for such a violation is a fine of up to $1,500 per animal. And under no circumstance can anyone who illegally take wildlife into captivity, can that animal be kept which also poses a high risk of contracting rabies. That animal can no longer be returned to the wild because of possibly spreading disease.

The PGC warns that animals with rabies may not exhibit obvious symptoms, but still could transmit the disease. Though any mammal might carry rabies, the rabies vector species identified in the agreement are: skunks, raccoons, bats, coyotes and groundhogs.

Humans can contact rabies from the saliva of a rabid animal if they are bitten or scratched, or if their saliva gets into the person’s eyes, mouth of a fresh wound.

If you do find a truly injured animal or bird, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator should be contacted. A list of licensed rehabilitators can be found on the Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators website at www.pawr.com. Or call the PGC at 833-PGC-WILD or 833-PGC-HUNT.