Wildlife rehabilitation requires specialized knowledge to avoid inadvertently harming animals well-intentioned people are trying to help. Understanding basic principles guides appropriate action.
Wildlife welfare is frequently harmed by well-intentioned human intervention. Fledgling birds learning to fly are removed from parental care by people who mistake their ground-level presence for abandonment. Orphaned mammals raised without conspecifics by humans fail to learn species-appropriate behaviors needed for survival. Incorrect nutrition from well-meaning rescuers causes metabolic bone disease and other serious conditions. The stress of captivity and handling alone can kill stressed wildlife. Knowing when to act, when to observe from a distance, and when to contact professional rehabilitators is the most welfare-positive approach to wildlife encounters.