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