Large Black Bear Spotted in Canton

Alan Iacoviello of Canton saw a large black bear walking along his driveway toward a neighbor’s property this morning at around 11:00 a.m. The black bear walked through his yard, onto the driveway and into his neighbor’s yard. Iacoviello lives in North Canton on Cherry Brook Road, just short of the Barkhamsted town line.

Iacoviello said this is the fourth visit he has had from black bears this summer. A mother and two cubs were seen in his yard a few weeks ago.

“We are very careful not to have anything in the yard that would attract their attention; no feeders, no garbage pails. There are extensive patches of wooded areas around us, and I think that our property is simply part of the bears’ local range.”

Iacoviello said while the encounters have not been frightening, ”they sure make us a little more aware when we venture out into the yard.”

This is the 180th black bear sighting this year in Canton, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The CT DEEP reported 179 black bear sightings in Canton as of Aug. 7, 2014.

More bears, and young bears, will be seen more frequently near residential areas as the black bear population continues to increase, according to the CT DEEP. If left alone, the bear will find its way to a more natural habitat. The CT DEEP states that is important for Connecticut residents to “learn to adapt to the presence of bears and take measures to avoid damage and problems. If people do not take precautions, problem behavior by bears can increase, possibly leading to bears being removed or destroyed.”

If you see a bear, it is advised that you watch from a distance, make the bear aware of your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walking away slowly.

All bear sightings should be reported to the Connecticut Wildlife Division at (860) 675-8130.

Photo credit: Alan Iacoviello