How and when to report crime to Nevada Department of Wildlife

For outsiders, Las Vegas might not conjure images of coyotes, birds, snakes or other wildlife. However, the bustling city is situated in the Mojave Desert near the major reservoir of Lake Mead, where co-existing with animals is a given.

With that shared responsibility comes wildlife cops — game wardens, as they’re officially known — who patrol Southern Nevada keeping both people and animals safe from one another.

While the Nevada Department of Wildlife mostly focuses on responding to concerns for or about animals, its dozen or so game wardens in Southern Nevada are also tasked with assisting other agencies like the Metropolitan Police Department and the Henderson Police Department as needed.

“We’re the primary agency to deal with wildlife issues,” said Christopher Walther, the Wildlife Department’s chief game warden for Southern Nevada. “But it changes from day to day.”

Game wardens go through the same training as any other police officer, while being required to gain a deeper understanding of state statutes that govern wildlife, too, he said. That knowledge can come in handy when dealing with situations like this year’s coyote bites along Lake Las Vegas, where game wardens had to shoot some of the aggressive coyotes.

Their responsibilities are wide, though. In addition to responding to calls about coyotes or snakes, Walther has been called to direct traffic, issue boating citations and even assist on the scene of the UNLV shooting. Last week, game wardens attempted unsuccessfully to save a drowning victim on Lake Mead with CPR, he said.

Above all, the dynamic job offers a chance to help Nevadans recreate responsibly, he said.

“It’s a pure passion for being out and serving constituents in the state of Nevada,” Walther said. “Nobody wants to go out and be on a boat in 115-degree heat dressed like this. It’s not fun. But there’s an overarching cause.”

How and when to report to NDOW

When your concern involves animals in the Las Vegas Valley, the state Department of Wildlife should be your first call.

Calls are sorted in order of urgency, Walther said, and sometimes the issue can be resolved over the phone without needing to dispatch a game warden. The urban setting of Las Vegas offers some precarious positions — rattlesnakes in living rooms, scorpions in bathrooms and more.

While not everything is a matter of public safety, Walther said the agency is prepared to protect animals and people alike in situations that involve wildlife. No matter is too small, though, and it’s better to call and get advice than be left wondering.

“In the springtime, we get inundated with the baby birds that fell out of their nests,” he said. “That’s not necessarily a law enforcement issue, but we’re prepared to deal with anything involving wildlife.”

The tip line to call is 800-992-3030, or Nevadans can report crime on the free NDOW Tip app.

Contact Alan at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.