Typically, fawns are found in the woods. But on June 30, the Fort St. John RCMP found one in an unexpected place — the back seat of someone’s vehicle.
According to a news release, officers pulled a vehicle over in the “early morning hours” and observed a fawn in the back seat. The occupants of the vehicle were arrested for possession of live wildlife, with the subsequent investigation resulting in drugs being seized.
“The fawn enjoyed some time with RCMP members before being handed over to Conservation. The deer will be headed for the Rimrock Wildlife Rehab to be reintegrated to the wild once able to do so,” the release states.
RCMP say the investigation is ongoing, both for the drugs seized and a separate investigation by the BC Conservation Office.
Taking a fawn from the forest is illegal under the B.C. Wildlife Act. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says they receive numerous calls every year from people who believe they have found an abandoned fawn when in fact it is normal for baby deer to be left alone at times.
READ MORE: ‘Don’t be a fawn-napper’: BC Conservation reminds public to leave baby deer alone
Fawns after often left alone for hours at a time while their parents forage for food. When humans interfere and take the fawns, it increases the chances of the fawn being orphaned and decreases their likelihood of survival.
If someone is concerned about an injured or abandoned fawn, they can report it to the Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
@SchislerCole
cole.schisler@bpdigital.ca
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