Wildlife should be left in the wild
Staff reporter
As animal lovers, we humans have a tendency to want to touch and domesticate wildlife.
Unfortunately, wildlife is not meant to be tamed because it's, well, wild. And the same is true of domestic animals being released into the wild. Once domestic it will not survive in the wild.
An incident Thursday at Marion County Park and Lake required the disposal of domestic ducks that were released into the wild and brought to mind the laws that govern the safety of wildlife.
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Conservation Officer Marvin Peterson reminds nature lovers to keep their distance from wild animals.
"This time of year, a big issue is fawn deer," he said. People may come upon a fawn and think it has been abandoned when in fact its mother is not far away.
"If the animal is removed from the area, it becomes an orphan," Peterson said.
He reminds citizens that it is illegal to have possession of a deer or other wild animals without proper permits.
"The best thing to do if you come upon a fawn is to take a look and leave it alone. Don't touch it," he warned.
Now, what about those ducks?
Domestic ducks are described as fowl that is raised for food, usually in a barnyard, or may be a 4-H project. Ducklings and chicks are cute while they're little but sometimes become too much for people to handle, especially if they live in a city.
"They won't survive if they are released in the wild," Peterson said. "They're domesticated. They're used to being fed."
Besides endangering the domestic animal, there's the danger of introducing a foreign disease into the wild population.
The law covers all wildlife. Wild fowl like prairie chickens, pheasants, and quail, and other species like deer, raccoons, and snakes cannot be captured in the wild and caged at home without proper permits.
"There is a large possibility of rabies or distemper with raccoons," Peterson said, which adds another reason not to handle wildlife.
So, how does a lay person know a domestic animal has been released in the wild?
"Domestic animals tend to be trusting of humans," Peterson said, which leads to the next suggestion.
"Don't feed any wild geese or other animals because it makes them too trusting of humans," he said.
If anyone has any questions, they are encouraged to contact Peterson at (620) 924-5747.
In Peterson's opinion, wild animals are to be left in their natural habitat and capturing them for human enjoyment is "just not supposed to be."
