While snow may remain on the ground in the region — though fading fast — spring is taking hold. It’s the time of year that brings a host of young wild animals into the world — some, such as red fox and raccoons, may already have litters hidden away. Same with black bears, which give birth while hibernating; a recent video an Upper Peninsula resident posted on Facebook showed a sow with four cubs trailing behind her.

So the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding the public early in the season that wild animals and their young will be on the move in the coming weeks and months.

Their advice: Keep your distance and leave these new babies be.

“Springtime brings a flurry of inquiries from concerned individuals about the wildlife they are encountering. It is perfectly natural for many species of young wild animals to be left alone for extended periods of time, and they should not be disturbed,” Jenna Fastner, DNR captive wildlife health specialist, said in a news release. “Wild animals are well-adapted to life in the wild and learning natural behaviors from their own species is imperative to their survival.”

Knowing what to do before coming across a young wild animal can make all the difference in the moment to protect it and keep it in the wild with its parents, the DNR advised.

The public can help keep wildlife in the wild by observing from a safe distance to provide young wild animals their best chance of survival. Keep people and pets away from the area. If children are interested in the animal(s), they can learn to keep wildlife wild by observing from a safe distance.

Some common young wild animals you may encounter this spring, according to the DNR, include —

— Cottontail rabbit kits can be encountered anytime from spring through fall. They open their eyes at one week old and begin exploring outside the nest for short periods to nibble on grasses after about two to three weeks.

— Eastern gray squirrels raise their young in leaf nests, called dreys, tree cavities and manmade structures such as attics. Litters typically consist of two to four young, called kits. By seven weeks old, they will begin to explore outside the nest area.

— Opossums are the only marsupial in North America, and females have a pouch on their abdomen in which they carry and nurse their young. As they grow, joeys begin to ride on their mother’s back until they are about 7 inches long from snout to rump, when they become independent.

— Raccoon kits are 12 to 14 inches long and capable of walking, climbing and exploring by six to eight weeks of age. When they’re at the exploring stage, they can be seen active during the day without their mother.

Wildlife rehabilitation facilities often reach capacity during the warmer months and need to limit admissions of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. The public can help reserve space for wild animals truly in need by always contacting a licensed professional for advice before assuming a wild animal needs help, the DNR states.

In Wisconsin, a license is required to conduct wildlife rehabilitation. Trying to care for a wild animal — especially young that often require specialized formulas or diets — may cause far more harm than help. Plus, the DNR adds, humans may be putting their own health at risk.

To learn more about the normal behaviors of Wisconsin’s wildlife and why it is important for young wild animals to grow up in their natural environment, go to the DNR’s Keep Wildlife Wild webpage, https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/orphan.