What to do if you find baby animals this spring in Delaware

With spring here, many will encounter baby animals and jump into action to save them.

However, many baby animals have different rescue plans and need different care. Before you try to help a baby in your yard, make sure that the animal needs help in the first place.

The first step should always be to call a licensed wildlife rescuer or rehabilitation center in your area for tips on how to help baby animals if you think they need saving. According to Hilary Taylor, a rescuer who is a part of the Delaware Council of Wildlife, a lot of animals brought to her do not need saving in the first place.

Do not handle wildlife without proper glove protection, too. In short, do not intervene until you have spoken with a specialist who tells you to.

Here are helpful phone numbers for the Delaware Council of Wildlife to call when help is needed.

• Sussex County: 302-228-1063

• Kent County: 302-270-9256

• New Castle County: 302-834-4604

Always keep pets away, and, if the wildlife is uninjured, keep humans at a distance, too.

For Delaware wildlife help for birds, call:

• Tri-State Bird Rescue: 302-737-9543

For marine animals, call:

• MERR Institute: 302-228-5029

For the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, call:

• 302-739-9912

Bunnies

Bunnies are one of the most common baby animals found in yards. Many think bunnies may need help if they spot the babies alone, but their mothers leave and check on them intermittently throughout the day.

Uninjured baby rabbits inside a nest that is still intact should always be left alone.

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According to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic, here are the steps you can take if a nest is disturbed.

1. Call a wildlife rescuer for tips on the specific situation.

2. Lightly cover the nest with natural materials (grass, fur, leaves, etc.).

3. Do not touch the babies.

4. Use grass or twigs and create a tic-tac-toe pattern with the materials. If the pattern is not interfered with in 24 hours, call a wildlife rescuer again on how to proceed.

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Baby turtles

If you find a baby turtle, typically, the best thing to do is leave it alone if it is in a safe place. If it is injured, call a wildlife rehabilitator for the next steps.

Two big tips are to first identify the species and do not assume it is a water turtle.

A guide of some of the supplies you may need to transport a turtle if recommended by the Turtle Rescue League: turtlerescueleague.org/how-to-transport-injured-turtles-your-car-kit/.

Baby opossums

Many opossums do not need help just like the animals listed above, but if they are injured or without their mother at an age when they still need her, it may be time to step in.

According to Tufts Wildlife Clinic: "As a general rule, if an opossum is over 7 inches long (not including the tail), he’s old enough to be on their own; if he’s less than 7 inches long (not including the tail), they are an orphan and appear to be healthy, you should contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator."

Taylor said that, when baby opossums are born, they are so small that four to five can fit on a teaspoon.

One time that babies may need help is when their mother is hit by a car. If movement is noticed from the mother's pouch, babies are in there and need assistance.

After the first step of calling a wildlife rehabilitator, put on a pair of gloves.

Taylor recommended putting the babies in a box with a towel and not trying to feed them. A wildlife rehabilitator will need to take the babies and should be taken to them immediately.

Baby deer

More than likely: Leave the deer alone.

"Mom leaves them all day long, and she comes back for them in the evening," Taylor said. "If they're covered in flies, if they've got wounds, if they're crying and getting up and trying to follow you, then they're in trouble."

If you notice these signs, call a wildlife rehabilitator immediately.

Baby squirrels

Again, many squirrels do not need saving. A wildlife rescue needs to be contacted immediately if you find one in need.

If you can't transport the animal immediately to a rehabilitator, Tufts Wildlife Clinic recommends:

• Keeping the animal in a warm, dark and quiet place.

• Not feeding the animal, as an unknown diet can lead to harmful effects.

• Do not handle them.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: A Delaware guide for baby animals that are found