Arizona wildlife officials warn against leaving Halloween pumpkins outside

PHOENIX – As Halloween approaches, Arizona wildlife officials don’t want anybody to lose their gourd.

That’s why they’re warning holiday revelers that leaving jack-o’-lanterns outside could draw unwanted, ravenous trick-or-treaters to their homes.

“A ripened pumpkin sitting outdoors is like candy for javelina,” Darren Julian, urban wildlife specialist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said in a press release.

“Pumpkins and other edible decorations are easy meals for wildlife and often attract javelina, coyotes, deer and even bears. Habituating wildlife to human food sources can lead to property damage and potential conflicts that could result in serious injuries to people or pets.”

Leaving pumpkins, carved or not, outside could also get you in trouble with the law.

Unlawful feeding of wildlife other than birds or squirrels is a petty offense under state law. Violators are subject to fines of up to $300.

If you want to show off those carved masterpieces, Game and Fish suggests displaying them on a window sill indoors or placing them high off the ground out of animals’ reach.

The department’s website has tips about co-existing with the state’s diverse wildlife.

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