Animal Control & Code Enforcement

To the surprise of many, Colorado's abundant wildlife can be found in cities. In most situations, people and wildlife can coexist. The key is to respect the wildness of wildlife. Many dangerous and potentially harmful encounters occur because people fail to leave the animals alone.

Wildlife Conditions in the Village

Greenwood Village is home to an abundance of wildlife such as waterfowl, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and rabbits. While you may not see any wildlife during the course of your day, many native wild animals live in the Village, doing most of their travel at night.

From season to season, the number of predators and prey will fluctuate due to the conditions of their habitat. Predators such as coyotes will stay in their designated territories only if there is enough food to sustain them. The size of a litter depends on the availability of food in its habitat. Coyotes will prey on foxes and other small animals. These animals typically remain in a given area until their natural resources such as water availability, shelter from predators, and supply of food have been depleted or until it has been eliminated by a predator.

Some neighborhoods in the Village have noticed increases in the rabbit population and decreases in fox sightings, while other neighborhoods have seen foxes in their yards, but no signs of rabbits. The numbers and types of wildlife in a given area are a result of the type of predator that may or may not be present. The presence of wildlife will vary each season as predators arrive and/or are eliminated by competing predators in the area.    

Guidelines for Wildlife Encounters

Whether you are in the comfort of your own yard, walking along the High Line Canal Trail, or having lunch in a park, follow these guidelines as you admire wildlife in Greenwood Village.

• Please do not feed wildlife.
• Discourage others from feeding wildlife.
• Do not touch young wild animals. An animal that appears orphaned will often have its mother nearby.
• Teach children not to feed, play with, or pet wild animals.
• Secure trash containers to prevent wildlife access.
• If you encounter an aggressive wild animal such as a coyote or raccoon, please call 9-1-1.

Wildlife Laws You Should Know

Wild animals are fascinating creatures to observe. While they are intriguing to some and hopelessly cute to others, they do not make good pets. Wild animals are difficult to keep alive in captivity. Moreover, they usually cannot fend for themselves if they are confined for any length of time and later released. For these reasons, it is illegal in Colorado to possess most species of native wildlife. 

Even though wildlife is best left alone, there are situations when people pick up injured or orphaned wildlife. If this does occur, call the Division of Wildlife and they will put you in touch with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area. It is illegal to attempt to rehabilitate injured or orphaned wildlife without state and federal permits. 

Under Colorado law, intentionally feeding big game animals is illegal. This prohibition applies to deer, elk, antelopes, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and bears. Violators will face a fine. In Greenwood Village, it is unlawful to knowingly place or provide food for any wildlife. Wildlife includes but is not limited to, skunk, raccoons, deer, coyotes, fox, elk, and non-domesticated waterfowl. This prohibition does not apply to birds 

Additional Resources

• Coyotes in Greenwood Village
• Colorado Parks and Wildlife