Monterey Officials Warn Public To Leave Fawns Alone After 2 Die

MONTEREY COUNTY, CA -- If you see a fawn alone during the day, leave it alone, animal officials warned the public this week. The SPCA for Monterey County in a Facebook post wrote 11 fawns were unintentionally taken from their mothers this season.

"Six of them were healthy babies taken from their mothers unintentionally," officials wrote. "While two were successfully reunited with their mothers (check out the video!) and two are still in our care, sadly, two did not survive their encounters with humans."

Officials said "mother deer leave their babies alone the majority of the day. A fawn lying quietly in a curled position on its stomach is very likely not in need of rescue."

Anyone who encounters a fawn that might be in distress, can look for the following signs:

• labored breathing
• walking and vocalizing for over an hour
• blood
• clearly broken bones
• lying prone on its side (rather than curled or on its stomach)
• a deceased mother on site

If you see these signs, call the SPCA Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center immediately at 831-264-5427, officials said.

--Photo via Shutterstock