GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) – Don’t share your pumpkins with wildlife.

As Halloween approaches, officials are reminding Coloradans not to give their pumpkins to wildlife. Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks people to properly dispose of their pumpkins or compost them.

Feeding wildlife can harm animals and humans. This can make animals sick and die. Feeding deer can attract mountain lions to residential areas.

CPW warns people of the following:

• Bears are attracted to pumpkins as they seek to stockpile calories in the final days before birthing season, which can lead to unnecessary conflict between humans and bears.
• Animals such as elk, moose and deer with their young and fawns can become aggressive in defending their young.
• Artificial feeding disrupts grazing behavior and causes deer to congregate in small areas where they are more likely to be chased by dogs, hit by cars and spread disease.
• Diseases can spread among wildlife, livestock, pets and humans.
• Approaching and feeding young wild animals can expose you to rabies, salmonella, fleas, ticks and other parasites, bacteria or viruses that may be present in or on the animal. Likewise, humans may inadvertently expose baby wild animals to human-borne diseases.

For more information, visit cpw.state.co.us/living-wildlife.

Copyright 2024 KJCT. All rights reserved.