“Touching a wild baby animal causes its mother to likely fail to recognize or reject it.”

Q: If a person touches a bird’s nest, a baby bird or another baby animal, will that cause the adults to abandon their young because of human scent? … A: This is essentially a myth, but one that no doubt started to help prevent people from disturbing wildlife. … The myth about human scent causing abandonment is also untrue for most other animals, including mammals. Baby animals that have been handled by biologists are usually reunited with their mothers, who do not appear bothered by the biologists’ scent on their young.

Disturbance of recognition between the dam and her offspring during the early imprinting period may result in rejection (perhaps fear), despite all the hormonal input or whelping experience.

An often-repeated myth is that handling a baby animal, particularly a bird, may cause its mother to refuse to take it back. … Verdolin and Mizejewski do not know of any animal species that would be rejected by its kind solely because of its contact with a human.

Unnecessary handling of mammals or contact with human scents, including deodorants, perfumes, and detergents, should be avoided. Such scents may discourage the parent from accepting the animal back, particularly after excessive handling, or if the offspring has been kept from the parent or nest too long. … Note: It is a common fallacy that birds reject their young if they have acquired a human scent. In fact very few bird species possess a developed sense of smell.

The kittens found by the villagers were examined for injuries or signs of sickness, and physiological parameters were recorded. If found healthy, they were placed in a plastic basket at the same location in the evening of the same day for a reunion with their mothers. In all cases, the mother cat was in the vicinity and took the kittens away after a brief period.

According to folklore, birds will reject their eggs and young if humans have so much as laid a finger on them. This prevalent belief, however, is for the birds: it denies animal parents' innate drive to nurture their broods and ignores a bird's basic biology. … The same logic applies to most animals. "In general, wild animals bond with their young and do not quickly abandon them," explains Laura Simon, field director for the Urban Wildlife Program at the Humane Society of the United States.

Human scent transfer does not cause wild animals to reject their young, but avoid touching the baby animal unless absolutely necessary.

It depends on the animal. Most birds have little or no sense of smell and cannot detect human scent on their chicks. However, most mammals do have a highly developed sense of smell, and may sometimes reject babies that have been handled by humans.

A doe will NOT abandon her fawn merely because it has been touched by a person.

Human handling does not preclude most parents accepting returned offspring.

Mothers actively lick their neonate and rapidly establish a selective bond with their kid through olfactory recognition. They also develop visual and acoustic recognition of the kid within 4h following birth.

However, Mother birds will not reject their babies because they smell human scent on them, nor will they refuse to set on eggs that have been handled by a person.

Twenty-four goat mothers were separated from their newborn kids for 1 hour immediately following birth. Two months later these mothers were observed to nurse their own kids less and alien kids more than nonseparated mothers. Separation of mother and young in half the flock also resulted in abnormal "rejecting" behavior in some nonseparated mothers.

Group members may be attracted to an infant, but unable to handle it because of resistance from the mother. … Mothers were tolerant of most handling attempts and infant-directed aggression was rare. … This infant was carried by non-mothers less frequently than the other infants, and its mother resisted handling attempts more often.

Untrue. This is a total myth—as it is for other young birds and mammals. Touching baby birds and mammals does not cause parents to reject them because of human scent.

Despite the common misconception, wild animal parents will NOT reject babies if humans have touched them!

Despite the common misconception, wild animal parents will NOT reject babies if humans have touched them!

Being handled by humans is extremely stressful for wildlife. Even if your intention is to help, your attempts may actually harm wildlife and put yourself and others at risk.

MYTH: “Wild animals will abandon their babies if they smell the scent of humans.” … Wild animals will not abandon their babies due to the scent of humans. In fact, most birds have little sense of smell! While mammals have a strong sense of smell, human scent is not nearly enough of a danger signal to cause mothers to abandon their hormonal and maternal behaviors.

##### Audience Question: I’ve been told that if mom smells a human scent on the young, she may not take the baby’s back, but is this, is this true? Or is this an old wives’ tale? … John Griffin: It’s an old wives’ tale. That’s not true, that maternal instinct is so strong, she, she just, whatever species we’re talking about here, she wants her young back and human scent is not going to concern her.

It is NOT true that mammals or birds will always reject their young once they have been handled by humans.

Birds have a poor sense of smell and will not reject babies touched by people. … Mammals have a much keener sense of smell but are also very dedicated parents. A reunion under the guidance of a wildlife rehabilitator may still be possible even when babies have been handled.

Some people think that if they touched the baby squirrel, the mother will reject it. This is not true, human scent will not deter a squirrel from looking after her young.

"If you touch a baby the mother will smell the human scent on them and will reject or kill it." This is one of the most common myths we hear and it is absolutly untrue. … With mammals this is not true either. The mom may think their baby smells gross, and give it a huge bath, but she will not reject or kill it.