Black Bear Reported Near Stratford School

STRATFORD, CT — A black bear was spotted Monday night outside a Stratford school.

Patch reader Jennifer Gaines said in an email that her husband saw the animal about 8:15 p.m. near the baseball field at Flood Middle School, 490 Chapel St. The couple reported the sighting to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Wildlife Division, she said.

The incident Monday follows recent reports from Patch users of a bear on a deck on Fox Hill Road, two bear sightings around St. Mark’s Church and scatological evidence in a backyard.

While only two sightings in Stratford were reported to the state between June 2019 and March 2020, much of Connecticut's landscape is suitable for black bears, according to the state environmental department. Connecticut has experienced a surge in the bear population between the 1980s and early 2000s that is expected to continue.

Residents who see a bear are advised to shout and wave their arms or walk away slowly, and refrain from feeding or attracting the animal. To report a bear sighting to the state wildlife division, visit bit.ly/3dTyyyE or call 860-424-3011. For more information on how to handle bears near your home, visit portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Fact-Sheets/Black-Bear.