More Bear Sightings in Oxford

Another day, another bear sighting in Oxford.

An Oxford Patch reader, Tricia Smith, sent us this photo Monday morning of a bear enjoying a snack in their backyard, which was taken on Friday. The bird feeder didn’t stand a chance, and the bear looks to be in no hurry to move.

This comes on the heels of an Oxford resident who woke up Sunday to a bear in her yard on Christian Street.

“The shots are a bit fuzzy, (as it was still dark, plus had to take through the window screen)” the resident wrote to Oxford Patch.

Recently, two bear sightings were reported in neighboring Southbury.

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

Bears are becoming more common in Connecticut as former farmlands have reverted to wooded areas. 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.

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.

Photo credit: Tricia Smith, of Oxford