Living with Wildlife
Learn How People and Wildlife Can Coexist
Living with Wildlife
Learn How People and Wildlife Can Coexist
Sometimes, Helping is Harming
It's human nature to want to help or take care of wildlife — but wildlife aren't people or pets. Handling, feeding or taking in wildlife can be dangerous and cause unintended harm.
Don't Feed Wildlife
Under Colorado law, intentionally feeding deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions and bears is illegal.
Feeding wildlife puts everyone at risk
Wildlife Aren't Pets
In Colorado, you cannot remove an animal from the wild and take it home as a pet. CPW regulations do not allow keeping any state-regulated wildlife as pets, even if those animals are allowed in other states.
Don't remove wildlife from their home
Wildlife Encounters
Crossing Paths with Wildlife
In Colorado, you can meet wildlife wherever you go: state parks, cities and your own backyard. Wildlife viewing is an excellent pastime — but encounters with wildlife can be delicate situations, and it’s important to know what to do when you come across wildlife.
Leave Young Wildlife Alone
Young wildlife don't need to be rescued.
You may see more young wildlife during spring months in Colorado, including baby deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, rabbits, foxes and birds. Each spring, Colorado Parks and Wildlife receives an increase in office visits and calls from people who report that they’ve "rescued" a young animal — but people do more harm than good by taking in what they believe to be orphaned wildlife. As wildlife become more visible in backyards, open spaces and on trails in the spring, CPW asks people not to disturb young wildlife.
Most young wildlife do not need rescuing
Nature has prepared them to survive without human intervention. In most cases, human interaction does more harm than good.
- Adults leave to find food
- It’s normal for adult animals to leave their young in safe places while they go forage for food — often for long periods of time. Young are safer when left alone.
- Parents are almost always nearby
- You may encounter a baby animal that seems alone or “abandoned.” Usually, the parent is nearby but out of sight, listening for any distress from its baby.
- Finding birds on the ground
- Feathered baby birds are “fledglings” and are often seen on the ground near their nests. If a young bird outside the nest has feathers, it’s practicing flying, its parents are still feeding it — and it should be left alone. If it has no feathers, it’s fallen out of its nest and could use your help. Return it to the nest if it’s safe to do so. Or place it in a box or basket with grass or paper towels and place it near the nest (you can also secure it in the nearest tree where you found it). The parents will hear its cries and continue to feed it. Do not try to feed it or keep it as a pet.
- Parents protect from predators
- Generally, baby animals have only a very light odor, which helps keep them hidden from predators. When a human touches a baby animal, they leave behind a scent that the animal’s parent(s) won’t recognize: This can cause parents to truly abandon healthy offspring.
If you find young wildlife:
- If a wild animal appears sick or injured to you but has no clear injuries, leave it alone.
- Quietly observe the animal from a distance — but don't hover so close that its parents are afraid to return.
- If 24 hours go by and a parent does not return, call CPW for help: It’s possible the newborn was abandoned or the parent is dead.
- Do not approach the animal.
- Don't move the animal yourself. Moving a young animal can have negative consequences and cause undue stress to the baby and its mother.
- Don’t feed the animal
- Keep your dog on a leash on trails.
- If you find a featherless baby bird on the ground, return it to the nest if it’s safe to do so. Or put the bird in a box or basket with grass or paper towels and place it near the nest (you can also secure it in the nearest tree where you found it). The parents will hear its cries and continue to feed it. Do not try to feed it or keep it as a pet.
Concerned citizens are welcome to call their local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office for reports, or Operation Game Thief if they wish to remain anonymous.
Call an Office
Call the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Denver Headquarters at 303-297-1192, or any CPW Office, if you suspect an animal is injured or abandoned or to report incidents of feeding or other illegal wildlife activity.
Operation Game Thief
If you wish to remain anonymous, contact operation game thief at 877-265-6648 to report incidents of feeding or other illegal wildlife activity. Rewards may be offered if the information leads to a citation.
Help Prevent Wildlife Conflicts
Protect Your Home
Keep your home safer for wildlife.
Dealing with Nuisance Wildlife
If wildlife has caused damage to crops, real or personal property, or livestock, a landowner (or any employee or agent of that landowner) may hunt, trap or take certain wildlife on lands they own or lease without securing a license — though a permit may be required.
Prevent Passing Diseases
Wildlife can carry diseases that can be passed on to humans and pets.
Wildlife on the Roadways
On average there are 3,300 wildlife hits reported each year to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Wildlife-vehicle collisions can happen year-round at any time. There is an increase during the winter migration season, especially between dusk and dawn hours, when animals move to lower elevations for the coming winter. Deer are extremely vulnerable to being struck at this time of year because it is their peak mating season. They are more mobile, easily distracted, and more likely to be crossing roadways.
Wildlife-related accidents can happen anywhere in Colorado. Drivers should be especially cautious when traveling through forests and agricultural land. Though several overpass and underpass projects have recently been completed, drivers should still be especially careful in the following high-risk areas:
- Interstate 70 (Floyd Hill, Mt. Vernon Canyon and Eagle)
- US 285 (Morrison)
- Highway 160 (Durango to Pagosa Springs and Durango to Mancos)
- Highway 550 (north of Durango and from Montrose to Ouray)
- Interstate 25 (Castle Rock to Larkspur)
- Highway 82 (Glenwood Springs to Aspen)
- Highway 36 (Boulder to Lyons)
- Highway 93 (Golden to Boulder)
- Slow Down!
- Driving more slowly increases reaction time and reduces the chance of a collision.
- Stay Alert
- Stay alert while driving at dusk and dawn. This is when many of Colorado's wildlife are the most active and are likely to be crossing roadways.
- Scan Ahead
- Scan ahead and watch for movement along roadsides. When driving at night, watch for shining eyes in headlights. Always be prepared for more than one animal.
- Traffic and Wildlife Signs
- Obey traffic signs and watch for wildlife warning signs.
Drivers involved in a wildlife-vehicle collision must report the accident to the Colorado State Patrol.
Colorado State Patrol
Report by calling *CSP (star key and 277) or the main 24 hour headquarters at 303-239-4501.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife, collaborating with partners, are taking steps to help wildlife move freely. Installing wildlife crossings and radar systems will reduce collisions with vehicles and keep paths open. Removing old fences or making them wildlife-friendly lowers the risk of entanglement, and setting timing rules and buffer zones reduces disturbance to wildlife in crucial areas.
Wildlife in Your Backyard
Bats
Bears
Canada Geese
Coyotes
Moose
Mountain Lions
Prairie Dogs
