legislation

CT Lawmakers, Activists Working to Address Bear-Related Incidents

DEEP estimates that Connecticut’s black bear population has roughly doubled over the last decade. The concern is less the number of bears, but how comfortable they’re getting around people.

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Some black bears in Connecticut are starting to feel more at home in certain suburban areas.

“They get what we call food conditioned and habituated,” said Jenny Dickson, director of the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Wildlife Division.

Varying parties agree that growing comfort is a cause for concern.

“There was a very devastating bear attack in Morris with a 10-year old boy and he was injured,” said Rep. Karen Reddington-Hughes (R-66).

With rising examples of habituation, Reddington-Hughes introduced a bill this month that would authorize a black bear hunting lottery in northwestern Connecticut.

“The DEEP had actually in 2015 suggested that we have a bear lottery, ” Reddington-Hughes said.

Nicole Rivard of Friends of Animals said hunting is not a solution. Instead, she believes a fix starts with people understanding what’s attracting the bears in the first place.

“It really comes down to changing human behavior because the only reason why bears come into conflict with us or come into back yard is because we’re giving them a reason to,” Rivard said.

Friends of Animals and the Connecticut Coalition to Protect Bears proposed their own bill, which includes a wildlife feeding ban as well as a grant program.

“That would help provide money to communities so they can purchase bear-resistant trash cans or help offset the cost of electric fencing,” Rivard said.

In 2022 alone, DEEP reported nearly 70 home entries by bears. In 2020, that number was closer to 40.

“We’re at a point now where we have a lot of female bears that are teaching their offspring some of these bad behaviors,” Dickson said.

Reddington-Hughes believes the issue has progressed to the point where both preventative and reactive legislation may be necessary.

“Solving our bear problem right now or getting it to a more reasonable equation is something that you’re going to have both of those implemented,” she said. “Common sense needs to prevail.”

The two bills are in the early stages, but both sides welcomed further conversation as the process continues. 

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