After Halloween comes to an end, it鈥檚 time to get rid of that Jack-o-Lantern rotting on the front porch, but wildlife officials say people need to dispose of that pumpkin properly. That鈥檚 according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife who say they see problems every year involving old pumpkins and local wildlife.
CPW officials say it鈥檚 not just that an animal can end up with a stomach ache, attracting wildlife can bring along predators like bears and mountain lions. It鈥檚 especially of concern this time of year as animals prepare for the winter.
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鈥淚 think people's hearts are in the right place because they put out pumpkins thinking that wildlife can come and eat them,鈥� said Bridget O'Rourke, the statewide public information officer for CPW. 鈥淏ut what they don't know is that there are unintended consequences to that.鈥�
O'Rourke says the agency hears about issues every fall, including multiple sick animals brought in by officers. The problem also increases the risks of human interactions with animals like bears, which is particularly problematic this time of year as they go into a feeding frenzy to build up fat reserves ahead of the winter.
Besides the more obvious concern with large animals, there鈥檚 also an increased risk of diseases transferring from pets and livestock when more wildlife visits a home.
鈥淏ringing animals onto your back porch could mean that you could get rabies, salmonella, fleas, ticks, parasites, bacteria or viruses,鈥� said O鈥橰ourke. 鈥淪o it's just best that we coexist with wildlife and keep wildlife wild, and let them eat the food that's in their natural habitat.鈥�
The list goes on, with another concern of more herd animals, like elk, coming into communities, which in turn increases the risk of accidents between wildlife and drivers.
To properly dispose of the pumpkins, cities have set up drop-off locations where the pumpkins can in some cases be turned into compost. This includes in Fort Collins and in Denver. CPW says finding these compost opportunities helps cut down on waste in a landfill. Plus, community drop-off sites help the environment with composting or by giving the pumpkins to local ranchers and farms to feed their livestock.
CPW says the wildlife concerns don鈥檛 end with Halloween. With the holiday season just around the corner, they say there are plenty of concerns with decorations like lights and other issues.
鈥淚t's important to think of our wild neighbors that live in our state,鈥� said O鈥橰ourke. 鈥淎nd so with Christmas coming up and some different holidays, it's important to think that wildlife, they're migrating through different parts of our state, and so they can get tangled in rope or lights or even hammocks. So just be mindful of wildlife and kind of what that means with the decorations that you're going to be putting up.鈥�
Simply put, CPW says leaving wild animals to fend for themselves is best, and Coloradans should keep that in mind when decorating their homes. If you see unsafe human behavior, you can report it to your .
