By Laura Bailey
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is urging residents to take proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of conflicts with black bears this fall.
As the bear population continues to grow, the potential for encounters with humans is also increasing; particularly as bears seek food sources to build fat reserves before winter.
Black bears that regularly consume human-associated foods, such as birdseed, trash and pet food can become “habituated” and “food-conditioned.” These terms describe bears that lose their natural fear of humans and associate people with food.
This behavior poses risks to both public safety and the bears themselves, leading to property damage and potential harm to pets and livestock.
“Bears lose their natural fear of people when they eat food from trash, birdfeeders, grills, or other human sources, causing them to spend more time in neighborhoods and near people, creating public safety risks, and increases the possibility that the bears may be hit and killed by vehicles,” said Jenny Dickson, DEEP Wildlife Division Director.
“Never feed bears; don’t be the reason your family or neighbors are put in a dangerous situation,” Dickson said. “Please do your part to keep both bears and people safe.”
During the fall months, bears become especially active as they engage in hyperphagia, a period in which they consume vast amounts of food to prepare for the winter denning season. Bears may forage for up to 20 hours a day, seeking calorie-dense foods to consume as much as 20,000 calories daily.
Given the effort required to gather enough natural food, bears are often lured by easily accessible human-provided sources. For example, a single bird feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds or a garbage container with leftovers can provide a bear with a day’s worth of calories in less than an hour.
In 2024, Connecticut has recorded a record high of 68 documented bear entries into homes, alongside a bear-related biting incident in Cheshire in July. Conflicts between bears and humans have tripled in recent years, with bears spotted in all of the state’s 169 cities and towns.
“While the number of human-bear conflicts varies from year to year, the overall trend from the past five years shows a dramatic increase and this year’s record-breaking number of home entries is especially concerning from a safety perspective,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes.
“It’s critical that residents understand the role they play in keeping people and bears safe. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal and we encourage everyone to follow proven guidance that prevents the unintentional feeding of bears as well and reduce the likelihood of bear-human conflicts to help keep people and bears safe.”
Residents are encouraged to secure trash, remove bird feeders, keep barbecue grills clean and avoid leaving pet food outside to prevent attracting bears. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal, and DEEP advises residents to adhere to guidelines that minimize unintentional feeding.
More information about black Bears and best practices for reducing the likelihood of an encounter with a bear can be found online on DEEP’s Living with Black Bears website.
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org
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