South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) is reminding people that it is important to leave wild animals alone.

“Sometimes people think baby animals have been lost or abandoned, when actually they haven’t,” says Thea Miller Ryan, director of The Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls. “Mothers often leave their young for several hours before coming back for them.”

Each year GFP receives numerous phone calls from people who find baby animals, and while people think they are being helpful, picking up the creatures can actually be harmful.

“We don’t want to give you the bad news, but baby animals picked up by humans don’t end up well,” reminds Ryan. “Tell your kids, your neighbor kids and your friends – If you care, leave them there.”