Black bears are running amok in Connecticut — invading homes and terrifying residents more than ever before this year — and the number of encounters in New York state is skyrocketing too, officials and reports say.
North Canton resident Tom Bradley got the scare of his life this month when a bear tried to turn a doorknob to get into his house. He had to use his key fob to set off his car horn and scare the bear and her two cubs trying to break into his mudroom.
“I think what is happening is, the bears are learning,” Bradley said. “It was sort of a step from going outside to get the garbage, to going into the garage where the cans are, and now they are moving into the homes because they have discovered that is where the food is.”
In New York, there have been 1,282 nuisance bear reports this year compared with 700 a year ago, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.
The bears have become braver because a drought led to fewer berries, according to the DEC. But there was no drought in Connecticut, where the misbehaving ursine — which can weigh over 600 lbs. — have shredded a car’s interior and waltzed into a liquor store.
There have been 24 reports of bears breaking into homes and businesses in the Nutmeg State this year – well above the average of six, said state wildlife biologist Paul Rego.
“We have many cases where bears have become very comfortable living close to humans and not being impressed by barking dogs and yelling people,” Rego said.
Connecticut’s environmental department has tried hazing the bold bears by pelting them with rubber bullets, bean bags or paintballs.
But some residents would like the state to have an open hunting season on bears – like New York and other nearby states. Recent legislation to introduce a bear hunt has failed, with opposition from animal rights groups.
A recent study by the University of Connecticut showed that as the bear population grows, the beasts are actually choosing to make their homes near people.
“We have this perfect mixture of forest and human houses and the bears are moving into these places,” said Tracy Rittenhouse, an assistant professor of wildlife ecology at UConn. “It’s not people moving into where bears occur, its bears moving into where people occur.”
With Post wires
