As of early June, there were more than 300 reported bear sightings in town. CT DEEP says bears understand that neighborhood trash is a good source of food.
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Black bear sightings are becoming more frequent in neighborhoods across Connecticut, particularly in West Hartford.
The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP, reports that over 300 sightings have been reported this year so far, the most of any town in the state.
Although black bears are typically found in wooded or rural areas, state officials say more populated communities are seeing an influx in bear activity, with animals adapting to human environments.
Jeannette Dardenne lives in a neighborhood in West Hartford and said she sees bears all the time.
RELATED: Bear makes surprise visit to West Hartford neighborhood, caught on video
"I'm still in shock every single time we see one, even though we do see them weekly. I can't believe there's this large animal walking around that is kind of unpredictable," Dardenne said.
Her daughter recently had a close encounter with two bears crossing the road after stepping off the school bus.
"She was surprisingly calm, she picked up the phone. In the picture you can see she's holding it and she's talking to me, [saying], 'Mom there are two very large bears next to me, what should I do?' I said, 'Just stay where you are, I can see you, don't move,' and then she stood there until we knew there were no other bears, and then she came home," Dardenne recalled.
According to Jenny Dickson, director of the wildlife division at DEEP, the rise in sightings is the result of a growing bear population.
Sign up for the FOX61 newsletters: Morning Forecast, Morning Headlines, Evening Headlines
"This is a trend that I'm expecting is going to continue throughout Connecticut. We've seen bears in every town in Connecticut, they're more common in some areas, but any town can have a bear and has had a bear, so I think we need to start thinking about Connecticut as a whole as being bear country," Dickson said.
Dickson warned that bears are becoming increasingly comfortable in human settings.
"Our bears are becoming habituated, which means they're used to people. They're not afraid of people, and they're becoming food conditioned, which means they're learning that our yards, our homes; people in general are places to look for food," Dickson said.
Dardenne noted that the bears haven't caused much of a problem, other than making a mess of the garbage in the neighborhood.
She did say people need to learn how to live amongst them.
RELATED: Bear draws crowd at Westfarms Mall, as officials ensure safe return to the wild
"We must make it really easy for them to find rationing, that's the only thing I can think of," Dardenne said. "I think we just have to learn how to behave around these wild animals so they don't pose a danger to us."
If residents encounter a bear in their yard, Dickson advises people not to run or corner the animal.
Instead, “make yourself big and loud, and you’ll most likely scare it away,” she said.
To deter bears, DEEP recommends residents secure trash indoors, remove bird feeders and eliminate other food sources from their properties.
The agency emphasized that bears typically appear in neighborhoods in search of food.
While seeing a black bear might be a striking sight, DEEP reminds the public that the animals are wild and potentially dangerous.
Community members can report black bear sightings to DEEP at this link.
----
Joe Monte is a Multi-Skilled Journalist for FOX61 News. He can be reached at [email protected].
----
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
FOLLOW US ON X, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM