Bear Aware: Spring Uptick in Connecticut

0:00Connecticut's wildlife folks at DEEP just dropped their latest state of the Bears report, warning everyone to stay bear aware as black bears ramp up. Activity this spring after hibernating. Conflicts between humans and bears are climbing fast, with bears breaking into homes across 18 towns in 2025 alone. Earlier this week, they highlighted how easy access to our food, like birdseed, trash, and pet chow, is the big trigger. Turning wild bears bolden. Neighborhood regulars. Over the past six years, home entries hit 265 up huge from less than 10 a year a decade back. Bears are popping up everywhere now, spotted in all 169 towns, and mother bears with cubs have spread to 119 spots. In the last three years, way more than before, this mix of dense woods and packed suburbs makes close calls inevitable without smart moves. To cut risks, yank those bird feeders by mid-march, stash trash and garages to pick up morning, clean grills, and never leave pet food out.

1:06Steps that keep bears wild and yard safe, intentionally feeding them is straight up illegal now too. If you spot a bear, make noise, back off slow, and report it to deep all mine, or email to track the population. Coexisting means respecting their space, so let's lock it down and let these heavyweights roam free. That's the story for today, Hartford News Today, driven by AI. I'm Cory with the story.