Wildlife can be found in and around the urban areas of Colorado’s fast-growing Front Range. As Colorado Springs and its neighboring communities continue to grow and expand, subdivision development impacts wildlife habitat and wild animals are often displaced. Some species continue to live in open space areas, parks, undeveloped parcels of land, river bottoms, and on or near bodies of water. Others have adapted well to urban living; skunks and raccoons, in particular, appear to thrive around urban environments. In most circumstances, people and wildlife can coexist but the key is to remember that wildlife are not pets; they are wild animals. Most dangerous and potentially harmful encounters with wildlife occur because people fail to leave the animals alone.

Preventing wildlife encounters
-Do not feed wildlife.
-Keep pet food inside.
-Cover window wells with grates, wire, or plastic covers.
-Fill gaps or holes around the foundation of your residence to eliminate a place for animals to live.
-Seal all cracks and holes larger than ¼ inch in diameter to keep rats, mice, bats, and snakes out of a structure.
-Screen fireplace chimneys, and furnace, attic and dryer vents, and keep dampers closed to prevent wildlife entry.
-Bury wire mesh one to two feet deep to prevent animals from burrowing in unwanted areas.
-Store garbage in metal or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids, inside a garage or shed.
-Mark windows with strips of white tape or with raptor silhouettes to help prevent birds from flying into windows.
-Fence gardens and pick fruit from trees before it ripens and clean up fallen fruit.
-Keep bird feeders out of reach.
-Burn food off grills and clean after each use.
-Keep windows and doors closed and locked, including residence, garage, and vehicle doors.
-Do not leave food, trash, coolers, air fresheners, or anything that smells in your vehicle.

Resources
Learn more at coloradosprings.gov/office-emergency-management/page/living-wildlife
More information at Colorado Parks and Wildlife page cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/LivingwithWildlife.aspx
Learn about individual animal species https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/SpeciesProfiles.aspx
Colorado Parks & Wildlife website https://cpw.state.co.us/ 
Nuisance Wildlife Laws in Colorado        https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/NuisanceWildlife.pdf

In Colorado, there are between 3,000 and 7,000 mountain lions, and while encounters remain rare, there have been sightings in Colorado Springs, to include near the Memorial-North Hospital. 

Do you know what to do if you encounter a mountain lion? 

• Do not approach a lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
• Stay calm when you come upon a lion. Talk calmly and firmly to it. Move slowly.
• Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely. Running may stimulate a lion's instinct to chase and attack. Face the lion and stand upright.
• Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you're wearing one. If you have small children with you, protect them by picking them up so they won't panic and run.
• If the lion behaves aggressively, throw stones, branches or whatever you can get your hands on without crouching down or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly. What you want to do is convince the lion you are not prey and that you may in fact be a danger to the lion.
• Fight back if a lion attacks you. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully. Remain standing or try to get back up!

Learn more at https://cpw.state.co.us/lions
 

​The Association has investigated the issue and has  information available for dealing with coyotes.