Wildlife officers urge public to remove tangle hazards from yards, decorate responsibly
DURANGO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers are urging the public to remove hazards from their yards after responding to many incidents of wildlife, particularly antlered animals, getting entangled.
CPW says they see a wide range of garden and recreational items that wildlife get entangled in, from hammocks to even soccer nets.
However, CPW says around the holidays, an extra element is added with decorations that elk, deer, and moose can become attached to.
“We see it every year, and it always gets worse this time of year,” said CPW Assistant Area Wildlife Manager Steve McClung of Durango. “Right now is a great opportunity to clean up your yard of items a curious animal might stick its nose in or get wrapped up in. And when you’re putting up holiday decorations, keep our wildlife in mind. These impairments can really affect their mobility, vision and ability to eat and drink.”
In Pagosa Springs, wildlife officer Nate Martinez recently responded when a mule deer with wire from a tomato cage wrapped around her torso that had begun to cut through her back.
“After eluding officers for several days, thanks to the help of many concerned neighbors, we were able to track her down, sedate her, and cut off the wire ring from the tomato cage,” Martinez said.
CPW recommends that individuals put away recreational and landscaping equipment when not in use and secure holiday lights and decorations tightly. CPW says that when wildlife become entangled, stress and physical exhaustion caused by trying to break free can lead to death.
“We need to know about these situations quickly,” McClung said. “It’s best if we can get to these animals before they’ve undergone too much stress and have exhausted themselves. Darting them also creates stress and can lead to mortality if the animal has already been stressed too much.
According to CPW, they will step in to remove the object, but in some cases, human assistance is not required if the animal can eat, drink, and move around easily.
CPW advises against trying to free an animal from an entanglement yourself, as it could cause serious injury.
“If the animal is not tethered to what it is tangled in, it can be difficult to chase them through a neighborhood and get into a position to dart them, or sometimes they disappear and we never catch up to help them. The sooner we get information, the more likely we will be able to assist that animal.”
If you see wildlife that becomes entangled, report it directly to CPW by calling the office local to you or through Colorado State Patrol dispatch if it is outside of normal business hours.
To learn more about living with wildlife, go to the CPW website.
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