Spring into early summer is the time when you might hear the most bird calls and see the most activity in fields and forests across the region.

Animals are engaged in courtship and breeding; courtship calls from birds can be heard in your backyard, and lakes and ponds come alive with the sounds of frogs and toads.

Ultimately, the product of all the courtship and breeding activity during this time is a plethora of baby animals.

Young animals have a tendency to attract more attention in the wild; they have a “cuteness factor” in a lot of cases, they move more slowly than do the adults, and sometimes they find themselves in awkward situations.

It is this last trait that can sometimes cause some unnecessary rescue efforts by humans. A bird might have taken its first flight out of the nest and perhaps landed on the ground. It could be taking a rest before flying again to a slightly safer place. Someone might have spotted this newly fledged bird, and instead of letting it be, they “rescue” it by taking it home and trying to raise it.

Most of these situations do not turn out well for the animal.

The PA Game Commission sums this situation up in a press release on May 30. “Well-intentioned people might step in to help a young animal that appears to be alone, not realizing its mother is nearby and it’s not in need of help,” said Matthew Schnupp, the game commission’s wildlife management director. “That’s one reason why leaving young wildlife undisturbed in the wild typically is the best solution when encountering young wild animals.”