Though animal experts don’t recommend humans regularly interact with or feed wildlife, there can be times when animals seem to need us to act. Like humans, even if for just a passing moment, animals can benefit from a kind gesture. Imgur user, Amscolie, an animal enthusiast and amateur wildlife rehabilitator, encountered and shared one of these situations on her account.
There’s A Storm Blowin’ Up!
In the midst of an oncoming storm, Amscolie was out in her yard battening down the hatches. She had left the back door open, just planning to make a quick trip out in advance of the storm. Specifically, Amscolie was out looking for several baby deer that she had been watching over. She wanted to make sure they were okay before the storm hit, but couldn’t find them anywhere.
Hoping they were okay and found a safe spot to ride out the storm, she went back into her house. But to Amscolie’s shock, she found the three baby deer resting quietly in her living room beside her couch. She figures the deer, acting on instinct, ran inside the open back door looking for a dry place to sleep. Amscolie’s reaction? She told the three deer they could sleep in the house for the night because it was going to be nasty. She also wrote on Imgur, “But how could you ever say no to a face like this?” Not many could! And many online comments agree Amscolie did the right thing in letting the deer stay. (1, 2)
When Bad Weather Strikes…
Deer, as a species, can survive all types of bad weather conditions including snowstorms, high winds, and sub-zero temperatures. Unlike some mammals, who manage weather changes by hibernating or forming a solid shelter, deer rely mainly on their natural body mechanisms. In the winter, deer can put on additional fat, change their metabolic rate, and grow a thicker coat to handle the freezing conditions. During a bad storm, deer will conserve energy by moving little, and heading to a cedar, hemlock, fir or spruce grove that provides optimal protection from precipitation. Though individual deer can meet a fateful end in hard weather conditions, this is not the norm. For Amscolie and her baby deer, it is hard to say how the small and more vulnerable deer would have handled the storm. She likely did them a service, and with further growth, they will be able to safely handle any storm! (3)
How Should I Help?
A baby deer can create a weak spot in anybody’s heart, thanks, in large part, to the Disney movie Bambi. Yet, it’s really important to trust in wildlife agencies, and the work they are doing. Government caretakers know if there is a shortage of food, or if bad weather is going to impact the local wildlife. If needed, food and resources will be allotted to these animals. We, as coinhabitants of the same land as deer and other wildlife, can help them most by cleaning up trash, recognizing their presence, and avoiding feeding them at all costs. (3)
