Have a Wildlife Problem?

If you have a question, click on the appropriate tab below to find an answer or to submit a question to the appropriate NCWRC representative for a response.

Find Assistance with Wildlife Problems

Click on the links below to find assistance with wildlife:

Can't find an answer about a wildlife problem?

Call the Commission's Human Wildlife Interaction Hotline 866-318-2401.

Injured /Orphaned Wildlife

Contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator

Please note: it is illegal to keep any North Carolina wildlife without a permit and North Carolina law prohibits any native wildlife being kept as pets. This is why we have licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These are volunteers that have the resources to provide care for small mammals, birds, reptiles and some other species until the animal can be released back into their natural habitat.

Due to high risk for carrying rabies, the following wild animals should not be handled and cannot be rehabilitated: foxes, skunks, raccoons, coyotes and bats. Please, leave these animals alone. If your pet has brought one of these animals to you, contact your local vet for advice.

Wild turkeys and adult deer cannot be rehabilitated.

For injured/orphaned bears and federally or state listed endangered, threatened, or special concern species please go to Other Contacts

If you have found a wild animal, the best thing you can do is leave it alone or put it back where it was found. If you are truly concerned that the animal is injured or orphaned, but not sure, please read the following information:

Is it injured?

If the animal is able to move on its own, then it’s not injured. Best thing to do is just leave it alone.
If it’s still alive and just not moving, then it’s still not necessarily injured. Certain species have a tendency to become very still when they think they're threatened or cornered. The best thing to do is leave it alone for at least 24 hours and allow it to move on its own.
If it is obviously injured and is not one of the high risk for rabies listed above, then go to the bottom of this section to search for a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your county.

Is the animal orphaned?

Just because a young animal is alone and the adult cannot be seen doesn’t mean the animal is orphaned. Many juvenile animals are left alone by the adult for long periods of times or merely have fallen out of their nest. Since it’s always best to give the adults the opportunity to re-establish contact and take care of their own offspring, a good rule of thumb is to leave it alone for 24 to 48 hours to determine if parent will return.
If the dead adult is found close by to the young animal and is not one of the high risk for rabies listed above, then go to the bottom of this section to search for a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your county.

Find rehabilitators in your county by selecting from the drop-down list below.

POP-UP REMINDER NOTE - When a county is selected, the page will open in a new window and sometimes be recognized as a pop-up page. On some devices and browsers, pop-ups must be enabled for the drop down menu to function properly. For information on how to enable pop-ups, see browser or mobile device documentation on how to enable pop-ups.

Contact a Fawn Rehabilitator

Is it injured?

If the fawn is able to move on its own then it’s likely not injured. Best thing to do is just leave it alone.
If the fawn is not moving, but still very young, then it’s likely not injured. Very young fawns (for the first 2 to 3 weeks of age) by instinct do not move. They may lie perfectly still even if they are out in the middle of an open area. This is an instinct to protect them from predators. The mother licks the fawn to reduce any scent that could attract a predator. Best thing to do is just leave it alone.
If the fawn is unable to move from the site where found then go to the bottom of this section to find a Fawn Rehabilitator near you.

View the list below to contact a permitted fawn rehabilitator:

Fawn Rehabilitator Contact List, Sorted by County (PDF)

Is the animal orphaned?

Just because the fawn is alone and the parent cannot be seen, doesn’t mean the fawn is orphaned. As stated before, fawns are left alone by the doe for long periods of times. A good rule of thumb is to leave the fawn completely alone for 24 hours to determine if the parent is not returning.
After leaving it completely alone for 24 hours, and the fawn is in the same location, clearly distressed and bleating (crying) loudly, then go to the bottom of this section to find a Fawn Rehabilitator near you.
If the dead parent is found close by the baby, then go to the bottom of this section to find a Fawn Rehabilitator near you.

View the list below to contact a permitted fawn rehabilitator:

Fawn Rehabilitator Contact List, Sorted by County (PDF)

Click image to enlarge the map.

Other Contacts

You may also contact your local veterinarian for the name of a rehabilitator in the area, or to ask if they would be willing to help.
You can also call the Wildlife Permits and License Office at (888) 248-6834 or Wildlife Enforcement Communications at (919) 707-0040 to obtain the name and telephone number of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area.
Injured Deer or Black Bear
The Wildlife Enforcement Division should be called in the case of injured deer or black bear at 1-800-662-7137, or (919) 707-0040 for Wake County.
Injured Endangered/Threatened Species
If the injured animal can be identified as an endangered or threatened species, contact the Wildlife Enforcement Division at 1-800-662-7137, or (919) 707-0040 or the US Fish and Wildlife Service at (919) 856-4786

Sick /Diseased Wildlife

Rabies

All mammals have the potential to contract rabies, but even in populations of high-risk rabies vector species, the virus is rare and most individuals are not infected. The following species are considered high-risk rabies vectors: bats and all wild carnivores such as foxes, raccoons, skunks, bears, bobcats, coyotes, mink, otters, and weasels. Species that have a low potential for rabies transmission are livestock, rabbits, rodents, squirrels, groundhogs, beaver, muskrats, chipmunks, and opossums. Opossums and small rodents rarely get rabies. Birds, reptiles (snakes, turtles, and lizards) and amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders) never contract or transmit rabies.
If a potential rabies exposure to a person or pet occurs (direct physical contact with one of the species listed above), the person should immediately contact their family physician or the County Health Department for further guidance and possible treatment. Testing for rabies requires that the animal be euthanized and the brain tested for the virus. Health department officials will determine if this action is necessary and coordinate pick up of animal.
If exposure has not occurred, public health officials will not pick up or test the animal for rabies. Species with high potential for rabies transmission (see list above) may not be taken to rehabilitators or relocated.