DENVER — Officers from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) are currently on the lookout for a coyote that injured a 4-year-old girl on Thanksgiving Day. The incident took place when the girl, mistakenly thinking the animal was just a dog, approached it while it was crouched behind a tree. The event occurred in north Colorado Springs, roughly an hour’s drive south of Denver.

During the encounter, the coyote lunged at the child, inflicting severe injuries to the back of her head, which required her to spend the night in a hospital for treatment, according to a press release from CPW. The girl’s father intervened to stop the coyote’s attack and managed to scare it away from his daughter. “This could have been much worse,” remarked Tim Kroening, a wildlife manager with CPW.

Following the girl’s discharge from the hospital on Friday, officials were notified and initiated a search for the coyote. Due to the challenge of pinpointing the exact animal involved in the attack, CPW plans to euthanize any coyotes found in the area. The remains will be tested for human DNA and various diseases, including rabies.

Coyotes have increasingly made urban areas their habitat, where they easily find shelter and food sources. While these predators generally steer clear of humans, they may display aggressive behavior if they feel threatened, if they are ill, or if they are protecting their young. “People in the vicinity might be inadvertently encouraging this behavior by leaving pet food outside or feeding them scraps, which is illegal and problematic in urban settings,” Kroening emphasized. He also urged residents to remember the importance of deterring wild animals by using noise or rocks. “It’s essential to ensure they don’t become too comfortable around humans,” he warned.

The search for the coyote is expected to extend over multiple days, as officials are committed to addressing the situation responsibly.