Bear Advisory Issued In Manchester Amid Sightings

MANCHESTER, CT — Several recent black bear sightings in Manchester have prompted police and animal control officers to issue an advisory.

"With the recent bear sightings in the Town of Manchester ... we are advising residents to take down bird feeders and lock garbage cans or any outdoor food areas, if possible," police said on a Facebook post.

Many of the sightings mentioned on Manchester-related social media pages ranged from Shady Glen on Route 44 to Ferguson Street to Highland Park Market to Charter Oak Street.

One resident of the Timber Trail area joked that the neighbors seemed more fazed than a wandering bear during a recent sighting.

A relatively new Facebook page dubbed, "Manchester, CT: Neighborhood Wildlife Advisory Board" has surfaced.

Municipal officials urged residents to report bear sightings to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Click here to do so.

According to the latest DEEP black bear sighting chart, five were reported from Manchester between June 25 of last year and May 16 of this year. Only sightings reported to the DEEP are included in the statistics. More than that seemed to have taken place over the past few days, based on social media posts.

The best deterrent for anyone encountering a bear is, "to make lots of noise to frighten bears into leaving the area," animal control officials said.

Animal control officials also advised residents to remove bird feeders.

Animal control officials also referred residents to the DEEP's tip sheets for bear encounters. Click here to access the pages.

In response to several residents inquiring about relacating bears, local animal control officers issued the following statement: "Manchester ACO or police department does not have equipment, training and most importantly the authority to relocate bear. Decisions on relocating wildlife are determined by DEEP."