We are just weeks away from spring and that means bears across Connecticut will be getting out of hibernation. State wildlife officials released their State of the Bears report ahead of spring.
From breaking into homes to crashing a birthday party, these are just some of the ways bears have made their entrance to people across Connecticut last year and they’re becoming more frequent.
In DEEP’s State of the Bears report, there were 67 bear break-ins in more than 20 towns last year which is nearly double the number from 2021. Officials say there’s a big reason.
“There’s a lot of really good bear habitat very close to where a lot of people live, so as Connecticut residents, we need to learn how to live with bears,” DEEP deputy commissioner Mason Trumble says.
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They say bears many times wander into people’s property searching for the next meal.
“When bears get access to food, specifically human sourced food, that teaches them, trains them to want more of that food as it’s usually high in calories,” Trumble said.
They recommend eliminating that attraction like being deliberate with your trash.
“If you’re bringing your trash out, sort your trash out in your garage or shed and make sure you take it out in the morning rather than leaving it out the night before pickup day,” he said.
It’s awareness DEEP hopes families keep in mind as spring rolls around.
“Really doing the best, following all the right practices to make sure we’re living with bears that’s safe not just for humans, but also for the bears,” Trumble said.
