WILD Fact: Fawn

Female white-tailed deer (called does) give birth to fawns in late spring and early summer. Each doe may have one fawn, twins, or rarely triplets. At birth, a fawn’s body measures only 1½ feet long and weighs 4-7 pounds. Its eyes are open, but weak legs don’t allow for much standing or walking. Until the fawn is 2-3 weeks old and is strong enough to follow its mother, it stays hidden close to where it was born. Camouflaging spots on the fawn’s coat mimic dabs of sunlight on the forest floor. Although a young deer may appear abandoned, its mother feeds nearby and frequently returns to nurse.

WILD Fact is a new regular feature written by Linda May, a wildlife interpretive specialist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division based at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, Georgia.