Black Bear Population Increase Hits Connecticut

Everybody enjoys spending time with their loved ones exploring nature and the great outdoors. Whether it be hiking and camping, fishing or hunting, being outside in the wilderness helps us all feel connected. Most of us remember the adorable character Yogi Bear and his beloved sidekick Boo Boo who are based off grizzly bears. The main theme of the cartoon was that Yogi Bear really liked picnic baskets.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has been collecting data on black bear sightings across the State of Connecticut for quite some time. Recently I was given the opportunity to interview Mr. Paul Rego who works with the DEEP’s wildlife division. According to Mr. Rego, “There’s a population increase and a spread and as a result more people are seeing bears.”

Because of this people should be made aware of a few basic safety tips regarding black bears in general. If you happen to be in the woods and come across a bear it will probably run away. If the bear doesn’t run away, you should make noise and wave your arms in an attempt to scare the creature away. In the rare circumstance that the bear still seems threatening you should start throwing objects at the bear to make it go away.

The DEEP has a number of tips posted online about bear safety and they are relatively simple to follow. Black bears are usually attracted to the smell of food so the most important thing to remember is to avoid feeding them whether it be intentional or not.

Bringing food outside with you when you decide to go out in nature isn’t a good idea and should be avoided if at all possible. If you decide to go camping, hiking, or hunting you can always eat before and or after you go out.

If you happen to go out in the woods because you decide to go hunting Mr. Rego says, “If you’re camping you should secure the food such that it’s harder for the bears to smell and more difficult for them to get to it. If you’re backpacking you can either hang your food in a tree but you have to be particular how it’s done because it has to be hung outside a branch so the bears can’t reach it. They make these metal containers backpackers can use that are more or less air tight and bears can’t get into them.”

Everybody enjoys going out in the wilderness from time to time and there are several safety tips we should all learn to follow when it comes to Black Bears. According to the DEEP’s website one should eliminate food attractants by placing garbage cans inside a garage or shed and add ammonia to trash to make it unpalatable. They also recommend to clean and store grills in a garage or shed after use. Don’t leave pet food outside overnight and make sure compost piles don’t contain any food in general.

Mr. Rego says, “The sightings through the course of the year reach peak in June and July. That’s when most people spend time outside, plus it’s the breeding season for bears so they’re more active, plus young bears are dispersing and looking for their own territories.”

Photo credit goes to Simon Pierre Barrette via Wikipedia