The New Mexico Department of Wildlife is urging residents and visitors to avoid disturbing young wildlife as spring gives way to summer and animal births increase across the state.
The department said New Mexico’s warmer months bring opportunities to observe wildlife, but officials cautioned the public to keep a safe distance from newborn animals, including fawns, elk calves and bear cubs.
Although young animals may appear abandoned, wildlife officials said that is rarely the case. Mothers often leave offspring hidden while they forage nearby and typically return within a few hours.
“Human interference, even with good intentions, can unintentionally cause harm,” the department said in a statement.
Officials also warned that some encounters can put people at risk. Bear cubs, for example, may seem to be alone, but their mothers are often close by and can become highly protective.
“It is ideal to leave bear cubs alone and let their mother raise them in the wild,” said Nick Forman, the department’s carnivore and small mammal program manager. “Female bears can become defensive and aggressive quickly when they feel like their cubs are in danger. A lot of attacks are a result of females defending their cubs from humans. The safest option is to stay away from the cubs and to not get between a female and her cubs.”
Department elk biologist Travis Zaffarano said human encounters can cause stress for young animals, particularly elk calves that rely on camouflage during early development.
“During the early stages of development, elk calves are limited in mobility and rely solely on camouflage to avoid predation,” Zaffarano said. “When elk calves are hidden in downed woody debris or low-lying vegetation, they are only temporarily alone while the mother is foraging nearby. These animals are not abandoned and will very shortly be reunited with their mothers.”
Zaffarano advised people to remain at least 60 feet away from hidden calves and to leave the area quickly so mothers can return without feeling threatened.
“Please only view hidden calves from no less than 60 feet to minimize stress on the calf,” he said. “Also, please vacate the vicinity quickly so that the mother may return to her calf without any perceived threat.”
The department reminded the public that viewing wildlife in its natural habitat is a privilege and encouraged people to observe responsibly by avoiding contact, maintaining distance and leaving quietly.
Anyone who believes an animal is injured, sick or truly abandoned is encouraged to contact a local conservation officer and provide a precise location, preferably using GPS coordinates.
Officials also noted that it is illegal to remove game animals from the wild, whether alive or dead. Suspected violations can be reported to local conservation officers or the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 432-GAME (4263).
For more information, the department’s Information Center can be reached at (888) 248-6866.
