See a baby animal in the wild? Leave it alone, experts say

Michigan wildlife regulators are reminding people to keep their distance when observing newborn animals this spring.

It’s common to see baby foxes, rabbits, deer and other wildlife this time of year. But the Department of Natural Resources says people sometimes take the critters home in the mistaken belief that they’ve been abandoned.

Wildlife technician Katie Keen says newborns have a better chance of survival in the wild and don’t make good pets. Possessing a live wild animal is illegal in Michigan.

Officials say it’s common for mother deer to leave their fawns alone for up to eight hours, which can reduce their scent and make them less vulnerable to predators.

They say most mammals have a keen sense of smell and might abandon their young if humans have touched them.  (AP)