Orphaned or injured animals not to be removed from woods

Tom Osborne, Minister of Environment and Conservation, today reminded the general public that as another season for camping, fishing and other outdoor activities gets underway, this is also the time when people will encounter wildlife with their newborn young, or young moose calves and other young animals on their own.

"Each year, department officials have to deal with young moose calves being removed from the woods, and, occasionally, young of other species," said Minister Osborne. "We know that people have good intentions when they bring moose calves out of the woods, but their desire to help nature in these situations is usually misplaced. The animals should be left in their natural surroundings, unless a calf is injured or it is certain that the mother is dead. This rule should also apply to other wildlife species."

Minister Osborne said any attempt to remove a calf or other animal from the woods can put a person in considerable danger, because although the animal may appear to be abandoned, the mother may be just a short distance away.

"A mother moose may attack if she senses that her calf is threatened. Such instances have occurred in the past," added the minister. "Anyone encountering what they believe to be an orphaned or injured animal is advised to contact their local conservation officer or the police."

The minister noted that many of the animals taken from the woods each year end up at the Salmonier Nature Park. Despite the considerable effort involved, he said it is impossible to raise all of them. In the case of moose, the park is not equipped or staffed to handle any numbers of moose, and even if they are successfully raised, the issue of what to do with the animals still remains.

"Releasing a calf back into the wild is not appropriate, because the animal’s ability to survive is compromised. Hand-rearing the calf makes it tame and likely to become a nuisance animal, thus lessening its chance for survival if put back into the wild."

Minister Osborne said the best thing the general public can do on encountering a young moose calf while out in the woods this time of year is to leave the animal in its natural surroundings.

For more information, contact: Mac Pitcher, Animal Curator, Salmonier Nature Park, (709) 229-7189, Tammy Keats, Manager, Salmonier Nature Park, (709) 229-7189

Media contact: Sonia Glover, Communications, (709) 729-2575

2004 05 17                           1:50 p.m.