The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reminded residents today to leave deer fawns alone, even if they believe it to be abandoned.

In June, white-tailed deer are giving birth to fawns across the state. DEEP said that even if a fawn appears to have been deserted, that is usually not the case.  The DEEP Wildlife Division has been receiving an increasing number of phone calls from people concerned about finding fawns that appear to be orphaned or abandoned.

People should leave deer fawns alone, DEEP said, since the animal’s instinctive behavior in its first weeks of life is to remain motionless and let danger pass. The fawn may appear helpless or abandoned, but it is behaving normally in response to a perceived threat. Young fawns likely do not need help, and the doe is probably feeding nearby, DEEP said.

After a doe gives birth to one or two fawns and nurses them, she leads them into a secluded habitat. The doe then leaves them alone for extended periods, returning to nurse them about three to four times a day. This pattern will continue for up to three weeks until the fawns are strong enough to accompany the doe or flee from danger.

In the rare case when a fawn has truly been orphaned, it should be left where it was found, and its location should be reported to a wildlife rehabilitator qualified to care for fawns. A list of wildlife rehabilitators and their contact information can be obtained at: www.ct.gov/deep/wildlife, or by calling (860) 424-3011 or the DEEP Emergency Dispatch Center at (860) 424-3333.