Wildlife Welfare

Wild Roe Deer Fawn Season Welfare

Roe deer fawn welfare in spring and early summer is affected by agricultural machinery and dog disturbance during the vulnerable early weeks of life.

Key Facts

Roe deer fawns are born May to June and lie alone while their mothers forage nearby
Fawns have no scent for the first weeks of life as a predator avoidance strategy
Agricultural machinery mowing kills thousands of fawns each year that cannot escape
Thermal drones are increasingly used to detect fawns before mowing operations
Dog disturbance causes mothers to abandon fawns mistakenly perceived as predator contaminated

Welfare Considerations

Roe deer fawn welfare is acutely vulnerable to agricultural operations and dog disturbance during the first weeks of life. Thermal drone surveys before mowing and dog control near woodland edges in spring directly prevent welfare harm.

What You Can Do

Walk dogs on leads near woodland and meadow edges during fawn season in May and June
Support farmers using thermal drone surveys before mowing operations in fawn season
Leave apparently abandoned fawns undisturbed as mothers are almost certainly nearby