Connecticut DEEP Issues Statewide Bear Advisory

The black bears are out and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection on Monday issued an advisory on how to prepare — and thwart — potential encounters. Sauces on grills, curious dogs and even beehives are all part of the equation, environmental officials said.

"These steps are increasingly important because Connecticut’s bear population continues to grow and expand and bear activity increases in early spring," DEEP offcials said.

In 2018, approximately 9,200 bear sightings from 153 of Connecticut’s 169 towns were reported to the DEEP Wildlife Division.

In many locales, bears are "now part of the environment," DEEP officials said.

"Bears become habituated, losing their fear of humans, when attracted to homes by easily-accessible food sources, DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Whalen said. "Habituated bears spend more time in neighborhoods and near people, increasing the potential for negative interactions with humans, the likelihood of property damage, and the possibility that the bears may be hit and killed by vehicles or meet with some other misfortune."

According to the DEEP, Connecticut residents should take the following simple steps to avoid problems with black bears:

• NEVER feed bears.
• Take down, clean, and put away birdfeeders in early spring. Store the feeders until late fall. Clean up spilled seed from the ground.
• Store garbage in secure, airtight containers inside a garage or storage area if possible. Adding ammonia to cans and bags will reduce odors that attract bears. Periodically clean garbage cans with ammonia to reduce residual odor. Garbage for pickup should be put outside the morning of collection and not the night before.
• Protect beehives, livestock (including backyard chicken coops), and berry bushes from bears with electric fencing.
• Supervise dogs at all times when outside. Keep dogs on a leash when walking and hiking. A roaming dog might be perceived as a threat to a bear or its cubs.
• Do not leave pet food outdoors.
• Keep barbecue grills clean. Store grills inside a garage or shed.
• Avoid placing meat scraps or sweet foods in compost piles.

Anyone encountering a bear while hiking should make his or her presence known by yelling or making other loud noises, according to DEEP officials. Hikers should never attempt to get closer to a bear to take a photo or video and if a bear does not retreat, slowly leave the area and find an alternate hiking route, officials said. If the bear persistently approaches, hikers should be offensive toward the bear with loud noises, waving arms, and even sticks or rocks thrown in the bear's direction, officials said. Never run away on the trail, officials added.

Campers should keep a clean campsite, and make sure food and garbage are inaccessible (for example, keep food in a cooler stored in the trunk of a car and never have food in a tent), officials said.

In the rare instance when a bear appears to be aggressive toward people, residents should immediately contact the DEEP’s 24-hour dispatch line at 860-424-3333, officials said.

Bear sightings reported by the public are used to assist the DEEP's Wildlife Division in monitoring the population. A sighting can be reported via www.ct.gov/deep/blackbear or by calling the Wildlife Division at 860-424-3011. Information on the presence or absence of ear tags, including tag color and numbers, is particularly valuable.

DEEP offocials said a common misconception is that a tagged bear is a problem bear, and a bear with two ear tags was caught on two different occasions because it was causing problems. Every bear receives two ear tags (one in each ear) the first time it is handled by DEEP. Most tagged bears have not been caught as problem bears, but rather as part of a project researching the state’s population, officials said.

To obtain fact sheets and other information about black bears, visit the DEEP’s website ...

www.ct.gov/deep/blackbear

... or contact the Wildlife Division.