Mule Deer fawns released after successful rehabilitation

This morning at dawn, we opened up the door to the deer enclosure that our 5 orphaned fawns have called home for many months. The first brave one peeked out only a few minutes later.

Before long they were running together down the trail and pouncing through the meadow, but still coming back to the safe haven of their enclosure. They’re likely to continue doing this over the coming days.

Deer are definitely not solitary animals, as you’ve no doubt seen in the wild. This is why it’s so important for them all to be released together.

Although no longer a baby (the telltale spots have faded) this is the smallest fawn of the group. One of the bigger fawns keeps him close by and in check.

Even though these fawns aren’t siblings, it’s sweet to see how they’ve bonded as a family. Over the coming days, CWC staff will keep a distant but careful watch on them, providing food for as long as they need it until they’ve fully adjusted to their lives back in the wild.

Throughout their time with us, these fawns didn’t see human faces or forms as they can imprint so easily. Staff wore hoods and robes to care for them, and these release photos were taken through a camouflage screen in the woods. Despite keeping them at a healthy distance to keep them wild, of course we’ll miss them. And it looks like the feeling’s mutual