There are several reasons for the decline in fawn rescues:
- In the first half of April, farmers benefited from a sunny, warm period. Many meadows could already be mown. The fawns had not yet been born at this time, so the mowing could be carried out without any danger.
- This was followed by a long period in which, in many places, several sunny, hot days rarely followed one another. This made it difficult for agriculture to find an optimal time to mow. Some meadow areas were still not mown by the end of the fawn season. This is also reflected in a decrease in the number of hectares of meadowland flown over compared to 2023.
- Due to the rainy weather, the roe deer often gave birth to their fawns in the forest rather than in the wet meadowland.
Every spring, numerous roe deer bring their fawns into the tall grass, where they hide. In the first few weeks of their lives, fawns have a ducking instinct that protects them from their natural enemies. However, this instinct also poses a deadly danger for fawns: farmers have to mow their meadows. It often happens that an undiscovered fawn falls victim to a mowing machine. Official statistics show an average of around 1,500 fawns killed by agricultural machinery over the years. However, according to experts, the number of unreported cases is much higher. In Switzerland, it is estimated that several thousand animals are killed each year. The non-profit organization Rehkitzrettung Schweiz has made fawn rescue its mission. Its goal is to save as many fawns as possible. The volunteer pilots use their drones and thermal imaging cameras to find fawns efficiently. They work closely with hunters and farmers to do this. In order to be able to provide the services of Rehkitzrettung Schweiz even more comprehensively in the future, new rescue teams are trained every year. From August 2024, information events will therefore be held again throughout Switzerland.
