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Animal Adoptions
As NATURE's BABY TALES shows, baby animals can be simply irresistible.
There is something about those big eyes and little limbs that just makes
you want to scoop them up and hold them tight. Indeed, humans often
do what few other animal parents do: adopt babies of another species.
Kittens are well-suited to adoptions by humans. |
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From baby squirrels and birds that fall out of their nests to baby
seals that seem to have been abandoned on the beach by their mothers,
"we are a society of adopters," says Mariel Cerela, a Virginia veterinarian
who helps people care for found baby animals. "Not a day goes by that
I don't get a call from someone wondering how they can help some poor
little youngster."
Often, she says, the help is easy enough to give. "For many baby birds
and squirrels, a little warm milk, warm water, and blankets will get
them through the first few days," she says. Then, depending on exactly
what kind of animal it is, "you'll have to figure out the appropriate
food." She recommends visiting your local animal doctor or calling a
professional wildlife rescue outfit to get expert advice -- especially
if you plan on keeping the animal.
Unfortunately, she notes, some of the babies don't really need our
help, and are actually hurt by the aid. "A lot of people pick up newly
fledged birds, thinking they need our help, but they usually do okay
on their own," she says. "But they can get injured by too much handling, or being fed the wrong kind
of food. You have to remember that being picked up by some large, strange
animal can be very stressful to wildlife -- they don't know you just want
to help them."
Similarly, she says, people who find baby seals on the beach don't
realize that it's normal for mom to swim out to sea for days at a time
in search of food. "Baby seals are very cute and cuddly, but it is no
small matter to care for them correctly," she notes. The government
requires anyone handling seals to have a special permit, she notes.
And often the seals need to be air shipped to a nearby aquarium.
In addition, Cerela warns, "those cute babies can grow up to be very
hard to handle -- even dangerous -- adults." The raccoon that once fed
out of your hand, for instance, may later take a bite out of a finger.
"People are always amazed [that] their helpless little babies grow up
to be rather self-reliant and aggressive adults."
But adopters rarely consider such future problems when gazing into
the eyes of that vulnerable newborn. "People just get swept away," Cerela
says. "I suppose it's a good thing overall, but every rescuer really
needs to stop and consider whether they are doing what is best for the
animal -- or just what makes them feel good inside."
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