Deer fawn Soay found trapped in Aberdeenshire "doing well"
An orphaned deer fawn found trapped in a fence in Aberdeenshire is being cared for by the Scottish SPCA.
An orphaned deer fawn found trapped in a fence in Aberdeenshire is being cared for by the Scottish SPCA.
Scotland’s animal welfare charity was alerted when the fawn was discovered in Strathbogie in May.
The now 12 week old deer, named Soay, is one of three roe deer fawns in the care of the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross.
Centre manager Colin Seddon said, “Like all fawns orphaned at such a young age, Soay and the others need a lot of one to one attention and they are still being bottle-fed at the moment.
“All three are doing really well and are getting along with one another.
“Once they are able to self-feed we’ll take a more hands-off approach until they’re ready to be returned to their natural habitat.
“We’ll choose a carefully selected site where the fawns will be able to integrate with an existing group of roe deer.”
The Scottish SPCA is warning members of the public not to approach baby deer unless there is a welfare concern, as there clearly was in Soay’s case.
Colin said, “Fawns are left alone from a very early age as their mothers go off foraging. They are left curled up under bushes or in long grasses to keep hidden from potential predators but are often disturbed by dogs and humans.
“Our advice is to leave the fawn alone, unless showing signs of distress and calling out, and return in 24 hours as the mother will likely have moved it.
"If it has not been moved at this stage but is still not calling or showing any signs of distress, the mother has probably come back and fed it.
“To be sure a fawn has been abandoned it must be observed from a distance for at least 12 hours. A fawn that has been truly abandoned will get up from its hiding place and start calling for its mother.
“Anyone who comes across a deer fawn can call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999 for advice.”