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Residents warned: don't feed deer, elkThe Colorado Division of Wildlife urges residents not to provide any type of food for deer and elk. Even though less food is available during the winter than in warmer months, deer and elk know how to handle stressful, cold-weather conditions. "These wild animals do not need to be fed by humans," said Kelly Crane, district wildlife manager for the Ridgway area in southwest Colorado. "Feeding large animals causes more harm than good and it can also be dangerous for people." Studies show that deer and elk normally lose up to 15 percent of their body weight during the winter, and they can easily withstand temperatures to 30 degrees below zero, explained Scott Wait, senior terrestrial biologist for the DOW's southwest region. "These animals are very well adapted to cold temperatures and a reduction of weight during the winter months," Wait said. "They do quite well without our help." Wild animals learn quickly when an easy meal is available and will return to the same place again and again. But even though they appear tame, they are wild and can become aggressive towards people or pets that might get near the source of unnatural feed. "It is dangerous for habituated deer to be around people. Deer and elk do attack," Crane said. Feeding animals also causes them to bunch up and that is a significant contributing factor to the spread of disease. Just like humans, deer and elk contract viruses and infections that cause a wide variety of problems. These can include respiratory infections, eye infections, nasal infections, skin infections, blindness and others. When animals are in close quarters, disease-carrying ticks also can spread easily. Colorado residents are reminded that it is illegal to feed wildlife and the
offense carries a minimum $68 fine. If you are concerned about people feeding
deer and elk in your neighborhood, contact the local DOW office. Tips can be
offered anonymously.
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