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This is the time of year that wildlife transitions. The whitetailed deer will be seeing the birth of this year’s fawn crop. It is one of the wonderments of nature that many take for granted.

One of the habits of does after birthing is to bed their fawns in areas where they are supposed to be concealed. However, I’ve seen new born deer nestled along my camp and almost drove over one with the yard tractor while cutting grass along my road. So it isn’t surprising to hear reports of baby deer found where you’d not expect to see them.

Many people driving along a road will experience this dilemma and immediately note that the doe is nowhere to be seen. They then conclude that the fawn has been abandoned and even pick it up to take home.

What they don’t understand that at birth, fawns are especially without scent. The mother doe will keep a distance away to deter potential predators. The little deer do blend well with most surroundings but at times are susceptible, especially when a hungry bear, coyote, bobcat or wolf is in the area. It is the tragic side of nature no one likes to hear about.

On occasion there are times when fawns do become orphaned. If a doe is hit by a vehicle, the fawn will stay with it. In these types of circumstances intervention may be appropriate, but not by the general public.

It is believed by some that handling by humans will cause the doe to abandon her fawn. It is not so. If a fawn is found close to a roadway, it would be okay to assist moving it to a safer location. If the fawn is abandoned, personnel from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and/or perhaps local animal control should be notified. There is also another resource that is essential to the survival of orphaned and injured wildlife.

If a person considers taking a fawn home, they may very well and unintentionally kill it by trying to feed inappropriate food and fluids. There is also physical activity communicated between the doe and fawn that stimulates normal body functions of fawns. It is also illegal to possess wildlife without a permit or license.

The UP Raptor Rehab Center, located in the Brampton area of Delta County, has been in the business of caring for sick, injured or abandoned wildlife since 2006.

Their primary focus is on birds of prey, but the also take care of various game and non-game species of wildlife. The non-profit agency is manned by volunteers and receives financial and material support through donations from private individuals, conservation organizations and professional agencies.

It is a good system of assisting mother nature. To their credit, the Raptor Center has performed work on wildlife that enabled their re-introduction into the wild where they have been able to survive. One way this is done has been to essentially mentor birds like eagles, hawks and owls on gaining food sources in the wild. In some instances they’re paired with other birds to learn by view and repetition. It is all done within the confines of an exclosure large enough for the raptors to work in a mostly natural setting and isolated from human involvement.

Unfortunately, this exclusive and rare facility has recently been informed that they must relocate or lose their license to operate. Moreover, the edict comes from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and includes their education permit.

The UP Raptor Center is well known throughout the UP for their work in bringing live birds to the schools and other public exhibits, like the UP State Fair, to give viewers the experience in seeing such species of wildlife for the first time in their lives.

In a letter of notice issued through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on behalf of the USFWS dated March 23, 2011 to Ms. Loretta Cox, who works at the Nah Tah Wahsh PSA (Hannahville Indian School) and holds the Scientific Collector’s Permit on behalf of the Raptor Center for salvage and live animal programs, is being told that the facility currently housing the wildlife needs to be moved to the school for educational purposes.

Ms. Cox is credentialed to work with the staff of the UP Raptor Center in maintaining the animals as well as using them to make educational presentations. Unfortunately, the Hannahville School does not have facilities for the live birds and if they are separated from the Rehab Center, it will force closure because of economic constraints.

According to the memo, there is no record of a valid federal permit for education collection of migratory birds and their parts and that the current permit is valid for salvage and does not authorize any involvement with live animals.

While it is obvious that adjustments have to be made with the permits necessary to continue the rehab center and education, there is a timeline that may force the closure of the facility if it is not relocated. In order for the UP Raptor Rehab Center to work out the logistics, help through our Federal Legislators is being requested.

Letters of support and comments to Congressman Dan Benishek, Senators Debbie Stabenaw and Carl Levin in support of the UP Raptor Rehab Center are needed to allow time to either amending the order requirement or make other changes.

For more information on what is needed and what you can do, contact Randy Bruntjens at the UP Raptor Rehab Center, (906)428-1497, or e-mail: up raptor@hotmail.com.