Connecticut Bear Sighting Season Starts With Celebrity

HARTFORD, CT — Bear sighting season seems to have started with a Connecticut celebrity, legendary Hollywood actress Mia Farrow.

Here's a Tuesday tweet from Farrow, who lives in the Frog Hollow section of Bridgewater:

The black bear was apparently peeking at the actress' neighbor, who then snapped a photo.

And Farrow shared another photo of a bear tonight.

Bear sighting season typically starts this week and runs until mid-October and even into November, according to state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection statistics. In 2017, from March 22 to Oct. 17, there were 5,572 recorded sightings.

Farrow's Bridgewater, which is located in Litchfield County, had 62 of them and that's not even close to the top. The award went to Avon with 501. Rounding out the Top 3 were Farmington with 386 and Burlington with 285. New Milford had 241, according to the statistics.

See town-by-town recorded sightings for 2017 here.

Farrow's tweet, sent just before 11 p.m. Tuesday, received numerous replies on her social media account.

The most common advice DEEP officials give to those who spot bears is "enjoy them from a distance."

"Black bears are becoming increasingly common in Connecticut as the population continues to grow and expand," DEEP officials said. "Reports of bear sightings, even in heavily populated residential areas, have been on the rise. The Wildlife Division has also seen an increase in the number of reported problems with black bears. The primary contributing factor to bear nuisance problems is the presence of easily-accessible food sources near homes and businesses. Fed bears can become habituated and lose their fear of humans. Bears should never be fed, either intentionally or accidentally."

Bears are attracted to garbage, pet food, compost piles, fruit trees and bird feeders, DEEP officials added. They said Connecticut residents can take a few steps to avoid conflicts and problems with black bears:

• Remove bird feeders and bird food from late March through November.
• Eliminate food attractants by placing garbage cans inside a garage or shed.
• Add ammonia to trash to make it unpalatable.
• Clean and store grills in a garage or shed after use. (Propane cylinders should be stored outside.)
• Do not intentionally feed bears. Bears that become accustomed to finding food near your home may become "problem" bears.
• Do not approach or try to get closer to a bear to get a photo or video.
• Do not leave pet food outside overnight.
• Do not add meat or sweets to a compost pile.

Click here to report a bear sighting.

Photo Credit: Paul Fusco/CT DEEP Wildlife Division