Jun 6, 2007 7:34 pm US/Mountain
Coyote Sightings, Pet Attacks Increase In Suburbs
by Terry Jessup
DENVER (CBS4) ―
The problems associated with encounters between coyotes and pets are steadily getting worse in many parts of the Denver region.
Coyote attacks on pets are increasing and some animal activists are apparently now getting involved.
Wildlife experts say there are several explanations for a hike in the local coyote population. Those reasons include:
• Some people feed coyotes, even though it's against the law.
• Coyotes don't have any natural predators in urban settings. (Getting hit by cars and litter-reducing harsh winters are about the only things that keep their numbers down.)
• Coyotes have had a lower mortality rate the past few years.
• There is a huge oversupply of rabbits coyotes feed upon.
Coyotes have lost their fear of people basically because they've become habituated to them, and more and more humans are encroaching on their habitat.
Animal control expert Jay Stewart said he gets complaints about encounters between the carnivores and pets constantly. He said there are at least 9 coyote dens just between Belleview and Orchard in the city.
"They'll take anything. They're opportunistic. They'll take your cats, your pets," Stewart said.
Aurora City Council on Tuesday night heard complaints from residents about coyotes. City leaders are considering relocating those animals who cause problems. Currently, Colorado property owners need trapping permits to get rid of problem coyotes.
Denver resident Regina DeLeon sister's dog was killed by a coyote, but she doesn't hate the creatures. She says people need to understand that humans are the ones who moved onto the coyotes' turf.
"My feeling is the coyotes were here first," said DeLeon, who has been hiking along the Highline Canal for 15 years. "If you live on a greenbelt, it's part of what goes along with living in this territory, and if you insist on building your big homes here, take what goes along with it."
Several people who have had their pets attacked by coyotes in the Highline Canal area told CBS4 they were scared to go on camera to talk about it because of concerns about animal activists. According to the residents, some crazed animal activists have been distributing threatening notes to them to basically leave the animals alone.
In Greenwood Village, police have investigated 115 complaints about coyotes so far this year. They didn't have that many throughout all of 2006.
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