Bear Spotted in Southington

Report black bear sightings here.

A black bear was spotted Wednesday night in Southington.

Diana Road resident Tony Lombardi spotted the bear around 7:30 p.m. in his backyard. His dogs started barking loudly and he went to go see what was causing it.

“It was casually walking through the yard,” he said. “The dogs got it a bit startled, and it stood up next to a tree and was about to climb it.”

The bear then decided to lie down for a few minutes before getting up to go to a neighbor’s yard. It stayed in the neighbor’s yard for about 10 minutes then left.

“It was not remotely threatening at any point,” he said.

There have been a few bear sightings in Connecticut over the past few days. One bear caused some mischief and destroyed a bee hive in Wolcott. A trio of bears was spotted in Avon Wednesday morning going through garbage.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says that a resident population of black bears has established itself in the state, particularly in the northwestern region, however they have been seen wandering into heavily-populated residential areas.

DEEP recommends the following when it comes to black bears:

BEARS NEAR YOUR HOME

Bears are attracted to the garbage, pet food, compost piles, fruit trees and birdfeeders around houses.

DO remove birdfeeders and bird food from late March through November.
DO eliminate food attractants by placing garbage cans inside a garage or shed. Add ammonia to trash to make it unpalatable.
DO clean and store grills away after use.
DON’T intentionally feed bears. Bears that become accustomed to finding food near your home may become “problem” bears.
DON’T leave pet food outside overnight.
DON’T add meat or sweets to a compost pile.

BEARS SEEN WHEN HIKING OR CAMPING

Bears normally leave an area once they’ve sensed a human. If you see a bear, enjoy it from a distance. Aggression by bears towards humans is exceptionally rare.

DO make your presence known by making noise and waving your arms if you see a bear while hiking.
DO keep dogs on a leash and under control. A roaming dog might be perceived as a threat to a bear or its cubs.
DO walk away slowly if you surprise a bear nearby.
DON’T cook food near your tent or store food inside your tent. Instead, keep food in a secure vehicle or use rope to suspend it between two trees.
DON’T climb a tree, but wait in a vehicle or building for the bear to leave an area.

BEARS, LIVESTOCK AND BEEHIVES

Bears occasionally attack livestock and damage beehives.

DO protect livestock with electric fencing and move livestock into barns at night if possible.
DO reinforce beehives to prevent them from being knocked over or protect them with electric fencing.