Well-Fed Prairie Dogs Attracting Coyotes & Pet Attacks In Erie
ERIE, Colo. (CBS4) - A dog being attacked and killed over the weekend is just the latest case of coyotes terrorizing neighborhoods around Erie over the past few weeks. Colorado Parks and Wildlife says they've received seven reports since late September of coyote attacks.
They believe there are many more attacks that haven't been reported.
"You can hear them pretty regularly down in this open space down here, and then they come up here looking for food because this is where the food is," said Kyle Martz, looking off his back deck. "We have an alpha that comes down the backside here. He got a pug four doors down. He's gotten several cats in here, and, yeah, there's just a lot of rabbits."
Martz is the president of the Grandview HOA and frequently talks to the neighbors about how the problem has been worse this fall.
He believes that between the well-fed prairie dogs surrounding his neighborhood (rodents he says are being fed by others dropping off corn), wild rabbits and pets, there's a limitless food supply for the coyotes.
"When prairie dogs look like the size of footballs because these dummies are feeding them, what do we do?" he said. "With these people feeding the corn to the prairie dogs, that's not helping. The backside of Bonanza (Drive) have never seen attacks like these, and they're out there almost nightly."
He says with more frequent interactions they're becoming less scared of humans. Some CPW tactics to scare off coyotes aren't working.
"It's nature and we live in nature. I do not have a problem with that. But, when homeowner after homeowner after homeowner calls me because I'm the president, saying 'Why are we getting all these coyotes ...'" he said.
Martz says he's been to town council meetings to try and get action, but has received little response.
"We're just getting beat up by the coyotes almost nightly, and there's nothing else I can do about it. We need to get along with nature, but nature is overrunning us right now, and we need a little help."
