Spring is here and with it are new signs of life.

Grass is beginning to green, trees are beginning to bud, and many species of animals are welcoming their young.

It’s the time of year when staff at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center expect to field calls from residents who are finding what they believe to be “abandoned” animals in their yards or other areas.

Susan Gallagher, chief naturalist at the 151 E. White Bear Dr. center, said those who spot unattended young shouldn’t assume that they need help. Intervening, she said, could lessen the babies’ chances for survival, and could expose folks to disease.

In most cases, it is best to leave the young wildlife alone, whether it be deer, rabbits, squirrels or other wild species.

“For a lot of baby animals, safety involves sitting still and hoping to hide,” Gallagher explained of why a baby might be solo. “The parents, which are larger and more visible, usually will keep a distance for a great deal of the time because they don’t want to draw attention to their babies.

“Our rule for almost anything is unless you haven’t seen a mother for 24 hours, don’t assume” that the baby is abandoned, she explained.

Deer, which will be delivering fawns soon, will “park” a fawn in a place they believe it is safe.

“What goes through her head when she chooses a parking spot, I couldn’t tell you because sometimes it will be right on someone’s deck, right next to their back door,” Gallagher said. “People will call here and say, ‘This deer is just lying here. The mother left.’”

But that’s usually not the case, she said. The mother deer is usually nearby.

Other species, such as cottontail rabbits, will only get visits from a parent during the night.

“People might find a rabbit’s nest in their yard, and they look at it all day long and realize that the mom hasn’t been there,” Gallagher said. “That’s normal.”

With its larger size, the mother rabbit will attract attention - and predators - if she visits her young during the day.

“What she does is leave her babies unattended for the vast majority of the day and nurse them at night,” Gallagher said.

Anyone who finds a rabbit’s nest in their yard, she said, should not disturb or remove it.

If they’re concerned that a dog, cat or child will bother the nest, she recommended placing a milk crate or cage over it. The enclosure should be removed at night to allow the mother’s return.

When a man discovered baby rabbits in his yard this week, he brought them to the center. Staff is caring for the animals, but because they’re so delicate, their chance of survival is less than what it would have been if they were left alone.

“Rabbits are so touchy in captivity. They really do not do well,” Gallagher said.

She encouraged patience if the babies are found in a place where they’re not wanted. For the most part, they’ll leave the nest in about 10 days.

Gallagher also cautioned against interacting with an animal. If it gets comfortable around humans and pets, its chances of survival decrease when it’s released into the wild.

Ducklings and goslings are especially impacted by human interaction, and will grow up thinking they’re human.

“You can’t undo that. And then it will be stuck in captivity,” Gallagher said.

Animals can also transmit diseases, she said. Many raccoons often have intestinal parasites, or raccoon roundworm, a disease that is spread through feces.

“There are horrible human health hazards associated with raccoon feces,” she explained.

Rabies can be transmitted by infected animals, however, Gallagher said it’s not as common as other diseases.

Animals can also carry fleas, ticks and lice.

As for birds, Gallagher said it’s OK to return a baby that has fallen from its nest.

“Recent research has found that birds do have a sense of smell and can actually smell very well,” she said. “But a human scent on a baby is not an issue. The mother will still take care of it.”

Keeping with birds, Gallagher said the center is often contacted by folks who spot killdeer. The birds favor lawns, golf courses and parks for their ground nests.

To keep predators away from their young, they call loudly and feign injury with a “broken-wing” display. Gallagher said people often call about the killdeer, only to learn that the bogus broken wing is part of their behavior.

That is one of the reasons that Gallagher said it’s best to call the center before taking any action with wildlife.

“If people call before they do anything, we can usually save them work and we can save the animals some trouble,” she said.

The center can be reached at 570-645-8597 or https://www.carboneec.org.

It is Carbon County’s only licensed wildlife rehabilitation center and its goal is to properly treat injured animals and release them back to nature.

“If this kind of service is important to you as a resident of Carbon County, please consider becoming a member,” Gallagher said, noting that a membership driver is underway.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission also encourages people to resist the urge to interfere with wildlife for many of the same reasons that Gallagher discussed.

The commission also notes that wildlife that becomes habituated to humans can also pose a public safety risk.

Several years ago, the commission said a deer attacked and severely injured two people. An investigation revealed that a neighboring family had illegally taken the deer into their home and fed it as a fawn, and continued to feed the deer right up until the time of the attack.

Taking wildlife from nature could result in a fine of up to $1,500 per animal.