If possible, leave found young animals where they were found
Environment Agency: Young birds are still fed by their parents - Do not touch or take young hares with you
The end of July is the time when the offspring of many bird species leave the protective nest. But the young birds are also fed by the adult birds outside the nest for a longer period of time and gradually become independent.
Concerned citizens repeatedly ask the city of Chemnitz what should be done with young birds that have been found. Without a parent bird nearby, they often give the impression that they need human help to survive. In most cases, however, the adult birds are simply looking for food at the time of observation. Feeding intervals vary depending on the species and the pauses between feedings can be quite long. You should therefore first observe from a suitable distance and unnoticed by the adults for a longer period of time to see whether the young are really no longer being fed.
In principle, young birds should be left where they are found. It is often sufficient to place the young birds slightly higher up in a hedge, in the bushes or on a branch. However, the young birds should not be moved too far away from where they were found so that the adult birds can still hear the begging sounds of their offspring. In contrast to other young wild animals, birds can be safely picked up in such situations. Human odour is meaningless to the adult birds.
Do not touch or take young hares with you!
From mid-March, young hares are born fully developed, with open eyes and thick fur and are hidden by their mother in a small scratched hollow. The mother comes by once or twice a night to suckle the young hares.
Sometimes, however, the hiding places chosen by the mother are not good enough and are also found in green spaces or gardens in the city. When approached, young hares then behave inconspicuously and duck away. For humans, this behaviour can be mistakenly interpreted as helplessness. In fact, the young animals only need human help in absolutely exceptional cases.
Unlike birds, hares smell when their young have been touched by humans. They are then often rejected by their mother. Only if the young hares are obviously injured or sick do they need help.
Therefore, as a general rule, do not touch or take young hares with you!