(KTNV) — Park rangers are reminding visitors that it is illegal to feed wildlife in Death Valley National Park after the recent death of a coyote.
The coyote had been begging for food when it was hit by a car and killed on Christmas Day, a spokesperson for the National Park Service stated in a news release.
The coyote was known to park rangers for its tendency to beg for food along Badwater Road near Golden Canyon.
Park superintendent Mike Reynolds said rangers tried hazing the coyote away from the road by shooting it with a paintball gun and pepper spray.
"The only thing the coyote learned was to stay away from park rangers!" Reynolds stated.
Feeding wildlife in national parks often causes the animal's death, park service officials noted.
"Wildlife that have been fed by people learn to cross roads when they see a car coming," they said. "They learn that this behavior sometimes triggers the car to stop and feed them."
Aside from potentially causing an animal's death, feeding wildlife in national parks can also result in a hefty fine and even jail time.
According to the National Park Service, the maximum penalty for feeding park wildlife is a $5,000 fine and up to one year in jail.
