The sheriff's office said they have received multiple calls in recent weeks about coyote sightings and encounters in the higher-populated areas of Douglas County.

Bill Dailey, natural resources manager for the Metro District of Highlands Ranch, said there have always been coyotes in Highlands Ranch; residents are just more aware of them now because of the cold weather. He said they received several complaints about coyotes spotted in large, open space parcels.

He said things like spilled seed beneath birdfeeders in back yards, small dogs or cats and knocked over trash cans will attract coyotes in the winter. It is much easier, Dailey said, for a coyote to go after a house cat or eat some bird seed than go on a proper hunt when it's cold outside.

"We have (coyotes) all the time," Dailey said. "It's not that they're getting more aggressive - they're just being noticed. People may leave a small cat out or a bird feeder and they'll jump over and eat the seed. They'll look at (small pets) as a meal. If you only have a three-foot fence, it's not wise to leave an animal in the back yard. Same with trash. They're opportunists - they'll eat just about anything."

The Metro District of Highlands Ranch gave a presentation titled "Living with Coyotes" on Feb. 4. The presentation provided information about protecting pets, discouraging coyote activity in and around yards and staying safe on the trails and natural open space areas.

Dailey says coyotes by nature are not aggressive toward humans. In his 10 years with the Metro District, he said he knows of only one resident being bitten by a coyote, and that was several years ago. He said a man was feeding coyotes on a regular basis and, one day, he was bitten after he ran out of food.

"Unfortunately, that coyote was put down because of that," Dailey said. "(But) for the most part, they're not aggressive towards humans. They're only looking for the easiest meal without expending much energy."