Bear Sighting Reported in Monroe

A Monroe resident spotted a black bear in his backyard on Friday, the Connecticut Post reports.

According to the Post, the Weathervane Hill resident spotted the animal around lunchtime.

According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, in recent years a resident bear population has become established in Connecticut, primarily in the northwestern region.

Between July 15, 2014 and July 13, 2015 there have been 31 bear sightings in Monroe.

In all, there have been 4,356 sightings so far since last June across the state, with the highest number in Avon, 429, and Burlington, 333.

At one time bear sightings were uncommon outside of the northwest corner, but corridors of wooded areas have made it easier to bears to travel to different parts of the state.

The bear population in Connecticut is expected to increase, making interactions between bears and humans more common. The DEEP says it is important that people learn to adapt to the presence of bears and take necessary precautions to avoid damage and problems.

More Bear Stories on Patch:

• Bear Spotted in Shelton
• See: Danbury Bear Captured on Camera
• Bear Spotted in Southbury
• Another Bear Spotted in Southbury
• Black Bear Tranquilized in West Hartford
• Listen: Frantic 911 Calls as a Bear Chases People in Granby
• Map: New Bear Sighting Reported in Shelton
• Bear That Chased Two in Granby Euthanized, Being Examined at UConn
• Bear Spotted in Newtown
• Photos: Bear and Cubs Spotted in Southington Backyard
• Photos: Young Black Bear Visits Partridge Lane Home in Darien
• Bear Observed on a Darien Resident’s Rear Deck
• Bears Spotted in Avon
• Massive Bear Spotted Near Southington
• Photos: Shelton Bear Spotted Again
• Shelton Bear Reportedly Being Taken to More Rural Location
• ‘Shelton’ Black Bear Spotted in Stratford
• Bear Spotted in Naugatuck: Police
• Black Bear Spotted in New Canaan
• Bear Spotted in Oxford

If you see a bear:

• Enjoy it from a distance.
• Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walk slowly away.
• Never attempt to feed or attract bears.

Bears are attracted to bird feeders, garbage cans, pet food and any other easy sources of food.

To avoid attracting bears near your home, the DEEP recommends following these steps.

The presence of a bear does not mandate its removal, according to DEEP. In most cases, if a bear is left alone it will make its way back to a more natural habitat.

Image via Oxford Patch Reader (Not the Bear Seen in Monroe)