As a result of the impact from the motorcycle and two deer collision Sunday evening, four fawns, previously still in the womb, were found on the highway.

Lisa Tretiak is the president and co-founder of the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Tretiak says two of the four fawns were found dead on scene, while the other two were brought to the Ritchot Fire Department in Ile des Chenes by firefighters to spend the night.

"So, we contacted them to ask how they were this morning. Unfortunately, the one had passed away throughout the night; we said we would come and collect the one still remaining and see how it was doing, see whether we could foster it out to a wild mother."

Tretiak says the fourth fawn was badly injured with deep cuts along the top of its head, over its body, and had a severely fractured hind leg. Unfortunately, she notes the animal had to be euthanized.

"With all these injuries and being such a young animal that was not introduced to its mom and getting that proper milk they require for the first 24 hours, the chance of it surviving the injuries, as well as not having this important colostrum that moms make the first 24 to 48 hours, [wasn't positive]."

She notes a doe carrying one fawn is typical, two is considered unique, while three or four (if that was the case) is rare.

"The chances of three or four all surviving into adulthood would be fairly rare," notes Tretiak. "Usually if there was that many in one doe, they would all be different sizes, they would all be very small and there would be a runt. If that's the case, the two we received were probably the two largest out of the four that survived the impact and survived a little bit longer than the other two."

Tretiak says when a fawn is orphaned they try to find a mom to foster the fawn and take care of it as its own, a process she says can take a few days.

"What we do is, we go out into an area where we know there's a large group of deer, especially does, and we play a certain call, which is basically the baby call of a baby fawn. That will attract the mother who will want the baby. When a doe is interested she will stomp her legs, she'll be very concerned, and she will be looking around to where this call is coming from. That's where we will release the little fawn, the mom will then come up to it and take it on."

Within the same week of fostering, she notes, they will check multiple times to ensure the fawn is being taken care of.

"If something happens later on, again there's always predators and potential other dangers, as being hit by cars is possible, we would need to intervene again and try to find another family for the fawn."

Tretiak says if someone finds a fawn hiding, it should be left alone.

"They cannot follow their moms for the first couple of weeks because they're very young, they're unable to walk and keep up with mom, so they will stay in a particular spot. It's really important that if people come across this, just to leave them alone."

She notes if a fawn is walking around and crying for several hours, that is a sign it has been orphaned and has not been able to find a mother to foster it on its own.

"If that's not happening, definitely call us and we will move it to another area where there might be more does within the same proximity so we can get it fostered."

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Motorcycle Collides With Deer On Highway 59