Authorities in Colorado are “aggressively pursuing” a coyote that attacked a 4-year-old girl in Colorado Springs on Thanksgiving, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).

The attack took place late in the afternoon on Thursday near the Air Force Academy in a neighborhood east of Monument Creek and Interstate 25 when the little girl and another child approached the coyote thinking it was a dog, the agency said.

The coyote, which was crouched behind a tree, lunged at the girl and grabbed the back of her head, causing serious injuries.

“This could have been much worse – a tragedy – if not for the quick action of the child’s father to stop the attack, rescue his daughter and scare the coyote off,” said Tim Kroening, CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region.

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CPW was informed of the attack on Friday after the little girl was released from the hospital, prompting an investigation and a hunt for the animal.

“Like most wildlife, coyotes are naturally afraid of humans but they can lose that fear and become bold and aggressive if they are protecting their young, being fed or are sick,” the agency said.

Since it’s not possible to identify the coyote responsible, CPW said any coyote found near the area of the attack will be “lethally remove[d]” and sent to a health lab to be examined for human DNA and disease.

The 4-year-old girl approached the coyote, who was crouched behind a tree, after thinking it was a dog. (iStock)

“We don’t know yet what brought the coyote into the yard with this child,” Kroening said. “But it’s an important reminder to everyone to be alert and haze wild animals away from their homes and neighborhoods. That goes for deer, fox, bobcat, bears and other animals. Don’t let them get comfortable around people.”

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If someone comes across a coyote, Kroening says to throw rocks or yell at the animal. If the coyote seems aggressive, call CPW and they will attempt to remove it.

The agency also issued a reminder to not feed coyotes in order to keep them wild and afraid of humans for the safety of children and pets.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife issued a reminder to not feed coyotes because they are wild animals and should not become comfortable around humans. (iStock)

“We’ve had cases of them attacking small dogs and cats as food,” Kroening said. “And they can view pets as potential competitors for food.”

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The pursuit and investigation remain active, and the agency asks for the public’s “cooperation and understanding” during this time.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are “aggressively pursuing” a coyote they said attacked a 4-year-old girl on Thanksgiving.

They said the attack happened late Thursday afternoon in northern Colorado Springs, in a neighborhood east of Monument Creek and I-25, near the Air Force Academy.

According to CPW, witnesses told officials the girl was attacked when she and another child approached a coyote crouching behind a tree, thinking it was a dog. That’s when they said the coyote lunged at the girl, grabbing the back of her head, seriously injuring the girl. This resulted in an overnight stay at the hospital.

“This could have been much worse – a tragedy – if not for the quick action of the child’s father to stop the attack, rescue his daughter and scare the coyote off,” said Tim Kroening, CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region through a press release.

CPW said they were told about the attack on Friday after the girl was released from the hospital, prompting a search for the coyote responsible.

As they search, wildlife officials are reminding everyone to be vigilant and cautious of their children and pets while living near areas with wildlife.

CPW has tips on hazing to keep coyotes wild and afraid of humans. You can find those here.

“Coyotes are omnivores and will eat anything, even tipping over garbage cans like bears do,” Kroening said in the release. “Typically when they get aggressive, it’s in the spring and they are protecting a nearby den where they have pups. Or it’s because someone in the area is feeding them.

“People nearby might be leaving pet food outdoors or actively feeding by throwing them scraps of food. That’s illegal and it’s a problem in urban areas,” he continued.

CPW said it’s impossible to identify the exact coyote, so they will be lethally removing any coyote in the vicinity of the attack, with the carcasses being sent to a health lab to be examined for human DNA and tested for diseases.

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The Colorado Avalanche have acquired goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators in exchange for goaltender Justus Annunen and a 2025 sixth-round pick, the teams announced on Saturday morning.

Colorado has overcome a slow start, but the main story of the season has been the team’s atrocious goaltending. The Avalanche have a team save percentage of just .871, by far the worst in the league and among the worst in recent memory.

They hope that adding a solid veteran in Wedgewood, 32, can help mend the problems in net, but he too has struggled this season. In five games (four starts) with the Predators, Wedgewood has a .878 save percentage, a 3.69 goals against average and a 1-2-1 record. Hopefully, a change of scenery could benefit both him and the Avalanche.

On the other side of the coin, the Predators get younger in net with the addition of the 24-year-old Annunen. The Finnish netminder has had an underwhelming season thus far, recording a .872 save percentage, a 3.23 goals against average and a 6-4 record in 11 games (nine starts).

Nashville’s season has gone off the rails already, as the team currently sits seventh in the Central division with a 7-12-5 record. Getting younger in net, and picking up a bit of extra draft capital in the process, makes sense even if it’s a disappointing outcome.

These two Central division rivals have two more games against each other, meeting in Colorado on Dec. 14 and in Nashville on Feb. 22. Whether Wedgewood and/or Annunen play against their now-former teams remains to be seen, but it would certainly add a layer of intrigue to these matchups.

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