Don't Fawn Over the Fawn: Advice from the Forest Preserve District of Kane County

Right after they are born, fawns aren't quite strong enough to keep up with the activity level of their mother, so while mom forages and develops milk for her young, the fawn stays put. To escape predation, newborn fawns exhibit what is called “hider” behavior and can spend up to 95 percent of their infancy hiding in solitaire. Lone fawns are not abandoned and do not require help from humans.

If you find yourself fawning over fawns, just remember that while these baby animals are undeniably adorable, any unnecessary disturbance can induce capture myopathy and/or immense stress that can be detrimental, if not deadly, to wild animals. 

Please remember to keep pets on a leash at all times unless posted otherwise and maintain an appropriate viewing distance.

If you encounter an injured animal in one of our preserves that appears to need medical attention, please call our Main Office at 630-232-5980. Thank you!