Knox Mountain resident Andy Cloutier woke up to the adorable sight on May 29, a deer was munching on some flowers in his Mount Royal Drive yard, yet he thought nothing of it.
A few moments later, something made him take a closer look. The doe had just given birth, right in his yard.
In one swift, but quiet, motion, he alerted his wife, Tana, and zipped across the room to grab his camera.
Returning to the window, he was greeted by yet another bundle of joy.
The Cloutiers would spend their morning watching twin fawns experience their first moments in the world from the window of their home.
“It was the cutest thing,” said Cloutier.
@kelownacapnews After being born at 7am on May 29, twin fawns were up and exploring the world by 5 pm on steadier legs
♬ This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
After getting a thorough bath from their mother, the fawns began to stand up a mere 30 minutes after their birth.
Cloutier said the mother deer got the little ones up and moving to a quieter location – the flower garden.
“They were so cute, their legs were shaking,” said Cloutier about the fawns’ first steps. “One would fall down and then the other would fall. These poor little guys were trying to walk but they kept falling down.”
After a slow journey, just a few meters across the yard, the fawns would tuck into the Cloutier flower garden for a well-deserved rest.
Deer are regular visitors to the Cloutier residence and the couple suspects that the mother was born in the area.
Cloutier has seen many fawns in the past but watching them take their first steps was a new and delightful experience.
He said that while the babies are cute and appear defenceless, staying quiet is their primary survival skill and it is important to leave them alone during this time.
Mother deer purposefully leave fawns during the day since they are born camouflaged and without a scent, to not be detectable by predators.
READ MORE: Do not touch baby deer: Kelowna Conservation Office taking a hard stance
“Baby deer and other wild animals should not be touched or moved,” reiterated Kelowna Conservation Officer Ken Owens about little ungulates who may appear to have been abandoned.
To avoid attracting predators, a mother will leave her baby in a safe space, like in a grassy field, and may only return a few times a day to nurse.
Disturbing the fawn by touching can result in the fawn becoming orphaned by its mother, said Owens.
He said while the babies may look abandoned, they are not.
It is typical for young ungulates, like deer, to lie quietly in vegetation for hours at a time, especially in the first two weeks of their lives when they are not strong enough to walk far distances with their mothers.
If you are concerned that a fawn is injured or orphaned (i.e., there is evidence the parent is dead), contact the Conservation Officer Service through the (RAPP) line 1-877-952-7277.
The Cloutiers will continue to watch the twins from a distance and are excited to see them grow.
Source: keremeosreview.com
