Stop feeding the wildlife: Colorado officials share diseased deer pictures as warning

Colorado Parks and Wildlife, with another heartbreaking picture, is imploring Coloradans to stop feeding the wildlife.

The picture, shared Feb. 24, showing a diseased deer with its fur falling out.

"This poor deer had cancer & died with a stomach full of birdseed. When people feed wildlife, it may fill their bellies, but it is not giving them the nutrients they need to survive. Everything gets worse for wildlife after people introduce non-natural foods to them."

This is not this first time CPW has used social media to help educate the public. Earlier this month, a video went viral, showing a woman feeding a deer in her home.

And Feb. 14, they shared another photo of a sick doe. She didn't make it.

"This sick doe was reported to us as being bedded in the same spot since yesterday. After it died, it was taken to our health lab for a necropsy where we discovered her stomach was full of corn & she had [...] signs of acute rumen acidosis that explained her diarrhea."

KRDO spoke to wildlife officials who say, while we all love animals, feeding them is not kind, even in the wintertime.

"We know people mean well when they give tidbits to wildlife. What many don’t realize is that feeding big game is bad for the animals and dangerous for people. It’s also against the law. There are lots of good reasons why. While putting out food for animals like foxes and deer seems harmless, repercussions can be disastrous. Please don't feed the wildlife!"

Feeding wildlife is illegal in Colorado.

"Under Colorado law, intentionally feeding big game animals is illegal. The prohibition applies to deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and bears. Violators face a $100 fine."