ST. LOUIS COUNTY – The Maryland Heights Police Department would like to remind the public that if you encounter a fawn it is best to leave it alone.
The Police department says that the deer you might find in your yard is not abandoned; mothers leave fawns in yards to rest, eat, and hide from predators.
Fawns lower their heads, lie very still, and breathe less frequently as natural defenses when they are approached by something other than their mother. These behaviors do not indicate that the fawns are sick or injured.
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, fawns wear a rusty coat with scattered white spots until they are three to five months old. This pattern resembles small patches of sunlight on the forest floor, helping to conceal the fawn from predators.
Mothers see humans as predators and will stay away until the area is clear. Dogs need to be kept away from fawns, as a protective doe can injure or kill a dog to protect her baby.
Fawns have an excellent chance of survival if left alone. They will move along once they can keep up with their mother, which is typically two to three weeks after birth. Deer have glands between their hooves that leave a scent trail as they walk. A doe can track down her fawn by smell if it wanders away.
Fawns can also bleat to call their mother, and she is always within hearing distance. If you find a fawn lying alone in the wild or yard, do not attempt to rescue it. Its mother knows where it is.
