DEP Reminds Residents To Be Bear Aware

With the arrival of spring, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is reminding residents to be aware of and prepare for bears that become more active this time of year looking for food, territory and mates. The state’s bear population, which is estimated at more than 300, continues to grow and expand, increasing the need for people to know how to prevent problems. In 2008, more than 2,700 sightings of bears were reported from 133 of Connecticut’s 169 towns.

In Newtown, one family dog was believed to have been the victim of a black bear attack last May and a number of sightings were called in to The Newtown Bee and also reported to the police department during the spring and summer months.

“As the bear population increases, conflicts with humans will be inevitable. However, many of these conflicts are preventable,” said Ed Parker, chief, Bureau of Natural Resources. “Most problems occur when bears are attracted close to homes by human-provided food sources. If bears find food rewards near homes, they can become habituated and lose their fear of humans. The best step in preventing problems with bears is to avoid intentionally or unintentionally feeding bears.”

Homeowners can often prevent bear problems by making unavailable or simply removing food attractants that draw bears into populated areas. The two most common attractants are bird seed at feeders and household garbage.

Residents who maintain backyard birdfeeders should take down their feeders in spring and store them until late fall. Wild birds do not require this supplemental food during spring, summer and fall.

Garbage should be stored in a garage or secure shed. Unwanted visits by bears and other wildlife can be reduced by adding ammonia to garbage and placing it in airtight containers.

Other potential attractants include pet or livestock food stored outdoors, grease and drippings on barbecue grills, sweet or fatty food scraps placed on compost piles, and fruit on or fallen from trees.

Bears will attack and kill livestock, such as sheep, goats, pigs and fowl. They also can destroy unprotected beehives. One of the best precautions for these problems is well-maintained electric fencing. Other recommendations for livestock growers include moving animals into sheds at night, keeping feed contained, keeping animals as distant from forested areas as possible and using guard dogs.

“To assure the welfare of bears and the people who live near them, public understanding and tolerance of bears is critical,” said Mr Parker. “Learning to live with bears requires all of us to take the proper precautions for preventing problems.”

The DEP encourages residents to take the following additional simple steps to avoid problems with black bears:

*Never intentionally feed bears to attract them to your yard for viewing.

*Keep dogs on a leash outdoors. A roaming dog might be perceived as a threat to a bear or its cubs.

*If you encounter a bear while hiking, make your presence known by yelling or making other loud noises. Usually a bear will move from an area once it detects humans. If a bear does not retreat, slowly leave the area and find an alternate hiking route.

*While camping, be aware that most human foods are also attractive to bears. Keep a clean campsite, and store food and garbage away from your campsite and in secure containers (for example, in a cooler stored in the trunk of a car).

Prevention of problems and tolerance are the basis for learning to live with bears in Connecticut. It is important to remember that although black bears regularly travel near houses, they are rarely aggressive toward humans and can usually be frightened away by making loud noises, throwing sticks or spraying with a hose.

However, it is not uncommon for bears that have found food, such as birdseed from feeders, to ignore such disturbances. In the rare instance when a bear appears to be overly bold or aggressive toward people, residents should contact the DEP Wildlife Division’s Sessions Woods office at 860-675-8130 (Monday through Friday between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) or the DEP’s 24-hour dispatch line, 860-424-3333.

The DEP Wildlife Division monitors the black bear population through sighting reports received from the public. Anyone who observes a black bear in Connecticut is encouraged to report the sighting on the DEP’s website (www.ct.gov/DEP) or call the Wildlife Division’s Sessions Woods office.

Some bears have been ear-tagged for research. Information on the presence or absence of tags is valuable.

To obtain informational fact sheets about bears, visit the DEP’s website or call the Sessions Woods office.