Deer in My Yard

A mother doe and her two fawns spent the past few weeks visiting my yard. They came by almost every day and often twice a day, slipping in and out of the thin strip of woods that run behind my house.

While it was nice to see such beautiful creatures in my own yard, I know that they were only here because the rapid development in our area is destroying their natural habitat. Clearly these deer were very hungry to be feeding throughout the day in a busy suburb.

During visits, the mother deer would hang back, watching intently while her kids ate their fill. From time to time she would take a quick bite of leaves from a nearby tree before resuming her post. Her vigilance clearly was taking its toll. While they were all lean, the fawns were much sturdier than their watchful mother, whose ribs showed through her skin.

A few times I watched them venture into my neighbors' yard to feast on their tomato plants, but the neighbors' dogs would quickly scare them away. I usually don't hear the dogs at all, but recently the sound of barking was often followed by deer darting past the back of my house.

The deer haven't been here this week and I've been worrying about them. With their homes disappearing, deer are often killed in local traffic accidents. I hope my deer will survive.

I have posted several pictures of my visiting deer online, which you can see here: Deer in My Yard.

As you look through the pictures, please consider getting involved with a wildlife conservancy near you. Also, consider voting for politicians who support wildlife preservation. Humans are not alone on this planet and our development shouldn't come at the expense of all other life.