Greenwood Village Kills Coyote Running Through City Park

Coyote May Have Been Limpy's Mate, Was Not Bothering Anyone

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. - A Greenwood Village police officer, Officer Heil, shot and killed a coyote running through Monaco Park at approximately 6:30am this morning. The coyote hid from a pedestrian, then ran as a result of a bicyclist passing by, and did not display any aggressive behavior. The coyote ran toward the waiting police officer, who fired two rounds at the animal, then put the dead coyote in his vehicle. The coyote was later placed in a garbage bag and disposed of in a dumpster, according to the police department.

While police are claiming the coyote was paired with a lame coyote named “Limpy,” there is no way for them to confirm this, as the coyote killed was non-descript and was alone. Another officer at the scene had a paintball gun, but Heil killed the coyote instead of using paintballs. The police also confirmed this morning statements they made earlier this week - that they still intend to kill Limpy herself, although she has not been involved in any aggressive incidents involving people or pets and is simply trying to survive despite her lame right front leg.

“The police needlessly and indiscriminately killed a coyote this morning: they have no idea if it was aggressive. This coyote was not posing any threat to anyone - instead it was avoiding people: isn’t that what we want coyotes to do?” stated Nicole Rosmarino of WildEarth Guardians.

The police claim they killed the coyote this morning, and intend to kill Limpy herself, because an area resident alleged that a coyote lunged at one of her three dogs while she was jogging with them in the vicinity of Monaco Park. There was no physical contact, but the coyote appeared to be defending the area from the dogs. WildEarth Guardians has organized dozens of volunteers, many of them city residents, to walk Greenwood Village’s parks to scare away coyotes, in order to reinstill in them a wariness of people. The group has now shifted its monitoring and hazing focus to Monaco Park. One of WildEarth Guardians’ monitors was present at Monaco Park this morning and heard gunfire.

“We have applauded Greenwood Village’s paintball effort, but the key mistake the police made this morning was using real bullets instead of paintballs. We are heartbroken over the needless killing of this animal, along with the death sentence for Limpy,” stated Rosmarino.

While Greenwood Village began a hazing program using paintball guns in early May, their hazing efforts are set to run for only two weeks. WildEarth Guardians has urged the city to continue its hazing program and work with the group on comprehensive, continual hazing throughout the city. But just weeks ago, the city instead criticized WildEarth Guardians’ hazing efforts as interfering with the shooter. The group pointed out that, if coyotes can be scared away, there is no reason to kill them. The coyote killed this morning was easily - and unintentionally - scared away by a biker and therefore posed no threat to people. It had not been previously marked with paintballs.

Scientists have shown that killing coyotes actually causes surviving coyotes to breed more and produce larger litters. This boomerang effect makes coyote killing a false solution to addressing coyote conflicts. Instead, the emphasis should be on educating people to reduce coyote attractants and keep dogs on leashes, and on hazing coyotes in order to ensure they avoid people.

If the coyote shot this morning was Limpy’s mate, it may be difficult for Limpy to survive. Limpy may have dependent pups at this time of year, which would likely starve without another coyote to assist Limpy in providing food. When Limpy and her mate were previously observed, her mate appeared to be looking out for Limpy and likely helped her to obtain food.

“The least the city could do at this point is to leave Limpy alone,” stated Rosmarino.

For more information, contact nrosmarino@wildearthguardians.org.


 

All active news articles