It’s Baby Season in Nature

If you haven’t noticed any tiny animals out and about, keep an eye out because it’s the baby season in nature. Spring and summer are the perfect time for animals to have their babies for many reasons so let’s explore them!

The days get longer during the spring!

• Once the days get longer, mommas have more time to find food and be safe in the light. Once it gets dark, predators are out on the hunt for their food. The more light means longer foraging hours and safer hours.

Temperature rises are also a big help.

• Baby animals have to regulate their own temperatures and many of them are able to by eating or drinking their mother’s milk. With warmer temperatures, their tiny bodies don’t have to work so hard to keep them warm.

Changes in air pressure affect when some animals give birth.

• Some animals like to give birth during times of high barometric pressure which doesn’t happen until the weather changes to get warmer. Cows are one specific animal that has been studied that the barometric pressure affects their birthing patterns.

Everything is starting to bloom!

• With everything starting to bloom, it means there is plenty of food to go around and sustain not only mom but baby as well. If mom isn’t fed well, baby won’t thrive either.

 

Many babies are born between February and May to make sure they are old enough and strong enough once the colder, harsher weather moves in. This means that those babies are finally getting big enough for humans to notice them.

Around the Nature Center recently we have seen baby turkeys and even a baby deer. When we’re out in nature, we have to remember we are in the animal’s home and we should be respectful.

Many animals take care of their babies differently than humans. This might mean they leave their babies in the tall grass and wander away for a few hours to get some food and to draw predators away from their baby. If you find a baby animal and aren’t sure what to do, reach out to us at the Nature Center or check out A Quick Guide To Finding a Baby Animal and A Quick Guide to Finding a Baby Animal Part 2 on our blog.