What does being ‘bear aware’ mean for Connecticut?

Where We Live

In Connecticut, the bear population has boomed. And so have human-bear conflicts. There are somewhere between 1000-1200 black bears in our state alone.

You might know what to do if you encounter a black bear in the wild, but bears are not just on trails anymore. In the past year, there were 35 incidents of bears entering homes right here in our state.

Although they might look friend-shaped, we wouldn’t recommend getting friendly. In fact, intentionally feeding the bears is now against the law.

Maybe you’ve seen a bear where you live. Today, we’ll hear from bear experts across the state and learn what to do if you come across one.

Did you follow this year’s Fat Bear Week? This week-long national tournament by the National Parks Service celebrates bear hibernation and conservation, while also serving as a campaign to make the public bear aware. We learn about it.

GUESTS:

• Jason Hawley: Wildlife Biologist for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• Felicia Ortner: Volunteer Docent at the Connecticut Beardsley Zoo
• Rachel Maiser: Natural Resource Lead for the Northeast Regional Office of the National Park Service

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