GUILDERLAND — Guilderhaven is creating a Fawn Fund to assist with the cost of rehabilitating fawns to be released back to the wild.

Don’t be a fawn napper. Fawn season is upon us please follow recommendations from the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation to leave fawns where you find them; their mothers will most likely return. The DEC has a slogan: If you care, leave them there.

“Most fawns are born during late May and the first half of June,” the DEC says in a release. “While fawns are able to walk shortly after birth, they spend most of their first several days lying still. During this period a fawn is also usually left alone by the adult female (doe) except when nursing. People occasionally find a lone fawn and mistakenly assume it has been orphaned or abandoned, which is very rare. Fawns should never be picked up. If human presence is detected by the doe, the doe may delay its next visit to nurse.”

But, when in doubt, call your local wildlife rehabilitator to help determine if the fawn is truly in need of rescue.

Due to our mild winter, we have seen an earlier start to all our wild baby seasons especially deer. We have seen an increase in orphaned, injured, and debilitated fawns. They are one of the costlier and lengthiest to rehabilitate.

Rescue, rehabilitation to release takes months, which means lots of care, vet visits, medications, and specialized food. We have a network of wildlife rehabilitators but only a handful equipped to handle deer.

Guilderhaven has a resident wildlife rehabilitator on its board; she is happy to answer any wildlife questions you may have or assist with wildlife emergencies. You can contact Jean Simmons at (518) 456-4374.

Guilderhaven’s Fawn Fund will assist wildlife rehabilitators with the cost of rehabilitating these fawns to be returned to the wild. For more information, contact me, Sue Green, at (518) 861-6861. If you would like to help, you can mail your tax-deductible donation to: Guilderhaven Inc., 6655 Route 158, Altamont, NY 12009. Please write “Fawn Fund” in the memo.

Editor’s note: Sue Green is a founding member of Guilderhaven Inc.