Large Black Bear Spotted in Canton, 147 Bear Sightings in Granby

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.

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

In Granby, there have been 147 bear sightings and 59 in East Granby so far this year. Would you know what to do if you encountered a bear in your yard? 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.

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.”

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

Photo credit: Alan Iacoviello