2 Coyotes Killed After They Pursue Children In Boulder
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Two coyotes in Boulder were killed after going after young children.
Coyotes have made their way into urban areas. In Boulder, for example, in the last month there have been a dozen encounters with people.
Coyotes have adjusted very well to human-disturbed areas and now thrive in close proximity to people. So it is no surprise to wildlife officials the coyotes continue to be spotted along the Boulder Creek path.
"We've been concerned about public safety all along," City of Boulder Spokesperson Jody Jacobson said.
Jacobson said last Sunday two 5-year-old boys were playing near the creek when two coyotes surrounded them. Luckily their father was nearby.
"So one of the boys ran back towards his father, and when he ran, one of the coyotes turned and chased him and bit at his leg," Jacobson said.
The coyote bite did not puncture the boy's skin and he was only scratched. But still, the coyotes were aggressive towards people.
The boys' father gave a detailed description of the animals to wildlife officials and this week state wildlife officials killed two coyotes.
"Based on the location of where the coyotes were and the description of the two, the pair that were out there, we really feel that these were the coyotes involved in the incident," Jennifer Churchill with Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.
The City of Boulder worked closely with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and they agree coyotes are still the in area. The goal is not to remove them, but to make sure there's a healthy separation between them and people.
It's hard to say why the coyotes were so comfortable around people, but one possibility is they were being fed. Officials warn not feed the wildlife -- they need to be wild.
