A Bethlehem man said he spent nearly 40 minutes fighting off a black bear that attacked his pet goat, a dramatic encounter that comes as Connecticut wildlife officials report a sharp increase in bear activity across the state.
Joe Reda discovered a black bear carrying his pet goat, Cole, in its mouth on his Bethlehem property last week, according to WFSB.
Armed with a shovel, Reda fought off the bear with help from his bulldog, Heavy, while his wife fired a rifle into the air in an attempt to scare the animal away.
Reda told WFSB he was clawed in the chest during the confrontation, but Cole survived. (Watch video of the WFSB 3 TV story here).
While dramatic, the encounter is far from the only recent bear-related incident reported in Connecticut.
Environmental Conservation officers have responded to 110 nuisance bear calls statewide since Jan. 1. Of those calls, 96 have occurred since April 1 alone.
Officers said 20 of those incidents involved bears entering homes.
State officials recently euthanized a black bear in Winchester after it broke into a home and was linked to three other home entries.
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Officials said bears that enter homes in search of food often lose their natural fear of people and begin associating houses and neighborhoods with easy meals.
DEEP does not relocate bears involved in conflicts with humans, saying doing so simply transfers the problem elsewhere and can create additional conflicts.
Wildlife officials say increased bear activity is common this time of year as young bears continue to grow, yearlings establish their own territories and mating season gets underway.
To reduce the likelihood of encounters, DEEP encourages residents to remove food sources that attract bears, including bird feeders, garbage, pet food and uncleaned grills.
“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.
Officials also recommend keeping doors and windows secured, even when away from home briefly, as bears can easily push through screens or enter through unlocked openings.
Residents who encounter a bear are encouraged to make noise and attempt to scare it away. Pets should be kept on a leash when outdoors.
Additional information about black bears and bear safety is available through DEEP.
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