©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Opinion

Pastorius Park concerts begin June 14.

Springtime alert: Do no disturb young wildlife

Jerrold W. Czech Jr., a wildlife conservation officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission who is assigned to Philadelphia County, submitted this commission release about spring wildlife. He urged readers not to remove wildlife from the parks. Referring to the story of Rich McIlhenny, who wrote in the Local on May 4 about finding a fawn in the Wissahickon Park, he said: “This turned out OK, but not all cases do.”

Whether hiking in the woods, driving through the countryside or simply enjoying nature, outdoor enthusiasts encountering wildlife, especially young wildlife, are encouraged to leave the animals alone and not remove them from the wild.

“Being outdoors in the spring is an enjoyable way to spend time learning about nature,” said Calvin W. DuBrock, director of the Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management. “At this time of year, it is common to find young rabbits, birds, raccoons, fawn deer or other wildlife that may appear to be abandoned. Rest assured that in most cases, the young animal probably was not abandoned and the best thing to do is not disturb it.”

DuBrock noted that many adult animals tend to forage for food and bring it to their young. Also, wildlife often relies on a natural defensive tactic called the “hider strategy,” in which young animals will remain motionless and “hide” in surrounding cover while adults draw the attention of predators or other intruders away from their young.

“While it may appear as if the adults are abandoning their young, in reality, this is just the animal using its natural instincts to protect its young,” DuBrock said.

“Wild animals are not meant to be pets, and we must all resist our urge to want to care for wildlife. Taking wildlife from its natural settings and into your home may transmit diseases, such as roundworm or rabies, to people or domestic animals. Wildlife also may carry parasites — such as fleas, ticks or lice — that you wouldn’t want infesting you, your home or your pets.”

In addition, Greg Houghton, assistant director of the Game Commission Bureau of Law Enforcement, noted that it is 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.

“Under no circumstances will anyone who illegally takes wildlife into captivity be allowed to keep that animal,” Houghton said. “While residents love to view wildlife and are very compassionate, they must enjoy wildlife from a distance and allow nature to run its course.”

Houghton also pointed out that, under a working agreement with state health officials, any “high risk” rabies vector species confiscated must be put down and tested rather than relocated. Though any mammal may carry rabies, species identified in the agreement are: skunks, raccoons, foxes, bats, coyotes and groundhogs.

“Except for some species of bats, populations of all other rabies vector species are thriving,” Houghton said. “Therefore, to protect public health and safety, it only makes sense to put an animal down for testing, rather than risk relocating a potentially rabid animal.”

Dr. Veronica Urdaneta, state Health Department epidemiologist, said it always is wise to avoid wild animals and even strange domestic pets because of the potential rabies risk.

“Animals infected with rabies may not show obvious symptoms, but still may be able to transmit the disease,” Urdaneta said.

People can get rabies from the saliva of a rabid animal if they are bitten or scratched, or if the saliva gets into the person’s eyes, mouth or a fresh wound. Contact with wildlife and any strange domestic animals should be avoided.

Wildlife Clinic not allowed to treat deer

On behalf of The Schuylkill Center, we are writing in regards to Rich McIlhenny’s efforts to care for the fawn found on Forbidden Drive [Local, May 4]. We wish to clarify for readers the role of the Schuylkill Center’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, why the clinic is not able to care for deer, and what to do when encountering such wildlife.

As part of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education (formerly Schuylkill Valley Nature Center), the clinic was established in 1987 and licensed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife that is native to southeastern Pennsylvania. Since its inception, we have treated more than 40,000 animals. The main cause of patient admittance to the clinic is human interference, such as being hit by a car or habitat destruction. We rehabilitate and release as many animals as possible.

We are thankful for Mr. McIlhenny’s passion for animals, as it is inspiring and refreshing to meet people who go out of their way to help wildlife. When Mr. McIlhenny approached the Schuylkill Center, he was advised to take the fawn back into the Wissahickon Creek Park, close to where he found it but out of harm’s way, so that the mother could relocate the baby.

It has been determined by the commission that because there is a severe overpopulation of deer in this area and due to our space restrictions as an urban facility, we are not licensed to treat deer. Because we are licensed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, we must abide by their policies. This does not mean that the staff doesn’t want to help these animals, but it is illegal for us to do so, and we could be closed down if we did, preventing our services from reaching the thousands of other animal patients we treat each year.

When encountering a wild animal, it is important to remember that they may not need our help. These creatures are naturally adapted to their environment and may be going about everyday activities. A good rule to remember, when in contact with an animal in the wild, is to leave it alone unless it is:

• Bleeding

• Obviously struggling

(i.e. broken bones)

• Has flies or maggots on it

In such cases, an animal needs professional care from a wildlife rehabilitator.