SALEM – “Hands off!” is the message for people who come across fawns and other young wildlife in the wild.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife cautions people not to touch, “rescue” or harass wildlife.

Officials say spring and summer are particularly important times, as Oregon’s wildlife are giving birth and raising their young, teaching them what to eat, where to take shelter, and how to survive in the wild. During this time, parents will temporarily and naturally leave their young to feed elsewhere.

Unfortunately, well-intentioned people sometimes mistake young animals temporarily left by their parents as orphans and remove them from the wild. Doing so reduces the animal’s chances at long-term survival in its natural habitat.

Last year, of 628 “orphaned” animals admitted to licensed wildlife rehabilitators, 150 died, 16 were euthanized and 16 may never be released back to the wild.

The agency said never to assume an animal is orphaned and remove it from the wild without further consultation.

If you see a truly orphaned animal – meaning that you have seen the parent die – or one that clearly is in distress, is being disturbed by people or pets, is in a situation that endangers the animal (such as lying near or on a road) call your local ODFW office, OSP office, or a local wildlife rehabilitation center.

Removing or “capturing” wildlife from the wild and keeping them in captivity without a permit are considered Class A misdemeanors, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $6,250 fine. Last year, OSP cited one person for holding a black bear cub and warned another for holding a deer fawn.

When birds fledge, some may fall from a nest. If quickly returned to their nest, nestling birds (not fully feathered) will recover.

“The idea that adult parents won’t accept a baby bird that’s been touched by a person back into the nest is an old wives’ tale we fight all the time,” said Sharnelle Fee of Wildlife Center of the North Coast in Astoria.

Nestling birds that have fallen out of their nest can be put back while fledgling birds, out of the nest and on the ground because they are learning how to fly, should be left alone.