Black Bear Euthanized In CT After Series Of Home Break-Ins

WINCHESTER, CT — State environmental officials euthanized a black bear on June 10 after it broke into a local home.

Bill Flood, spokesman for the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, said Environmental Conservation (EnCon) officers euthanized the bear the same day of the break-in.

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The bear was involved in three home entries, and based on descriptions, may have been involved in three more, according to Flood.

No residents or first responders were injured in the encounters with the bear. 

EnCon police say they have responded to 110 nuisance bear calls statewide since Jan. 1. Of these, 96 have been since April 1, which DEEP described as a “very high number.”

Officials said 20 of the cases this year have involved bears entering homes.

According to DEEP, bears that enter homes looking for food have lost their natural fear of humans and have learned to associate humans, houses and neighborhoods with easy meals. These bears seldom respond to attempts to scare or deter them, officials said.

“That can pose a significant risk to human life,” DEEP said, in an emailed statement. “In this instance, euthanasia was the necessary action in accordance with our bear response practices.”

DEEP does not relocate bears involved in conflicts with humans.

“Moving a habituated, food-conditioned bear simply transfers the problem to another location,” DEEP said. “It can also have negative impacts on bears, as placing a new bear into existing territories can cause disputes or increase the likelihood of more conflicts because the bear will have to learn new natural food sources and human-sourced food is easier to find and acquire.”

DEEP anticipates conflicts between bears, people and pets will rise with the warm weather.

“The best way to keep your home and family safe, and keep bears wild, is to remove the food sources that are drawing bears into neighborhoods in the first place,” DEEP said.

Environmental officials recommend taking several steps to avoid conflicts with bears, especially now that bears are more active due to mating season.

Bears can be attracted to bird feeders, garbage, uncleaned grills and pet food, according to DEEP. It advises putting garbage out the morning of collection, and bringing any pet food indoors overnight.

DEEP recommends always keeping doors and windows secured, as bears can easily bust through screens. It also advises trying to scare bears away if you see them, and always keeping pets on leashes.

For more information on black bears, visit DEEP’s website HERE and find advice on how to be “Bear Wise” HERE. Check out its answers to frequently asked questions about black bears HERE.