Community Corner
Bear-Feeding Homeowner Sparks Talk of CT Town Ordinance
Residents of Barkhamsted worry that feeding bears and wildlife can lead to danger.
Feeding bears can cause them to become less afraid of humans, as one Connecticut town is learning.
Complaints of a Barkhamsted homeowner feeding bears in his yard have spurred discussion of a town ordinance against feeding wildlife, according to The Register Citizen.
The Board of Selectmen tabled the issue Tuesday, and the topic is expected to come up again at the next meeting.
Bear activity in Barkhamsted has been reported 89 times from July 31, 2013 to July 29, 2014, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Paul Rego, a DEEP wildlife biologist, told The Register Citizen that Barkhamsted’s bear population is growing and could double in the next seven years.
Some worry that the bear-feeding homeowner, who lives near Slade Road and Route 181, could cause problems in residential areas and attract the animals to busy roads.
The Board of Selectmen is encouraging public input on this issue, and the next meeting of the board is scheduled for Aug. 12.
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