11/29/2019
This from dawn P. at the UCONN garden Center:
Don’t Feed The Bears
by uconnladybug
Having taken in the bird feeders last March, we thought that we could start putting them out again but alas, it was too soon. The third day seed was put out, a good-sized black bear was helping himself (we assumed it was a male because of its large size) to the seed so the feeders will have to come back in until late November or so. In past years, a number of interesting migrating birds have stopped by so no feeder is not enjoyable for the birds or the bird watchers. We remedied that to a certain extent by putting in a second story window feeder. So far, just some squirrels but no bears.
bear at feeder 1
Black bear helping himself to our bird feeder. Photo by dmp, 2019
The Connecticut black bear (Ursus americanus) population has been on the rise over the last century after being killed off or displaced from the state by the mid-1800s. Keep in mind that at that time most of Connecticut was deforested to allow for agricultural fields and pastures. As the farms were abandoned, forests regrew providing habitat once again for black bears and their numbers have been increasing ever since. Optimal habitat for them includes a mixture of deciduous and evergreen forest areas with streams, wetlands and rocky outcrops.
They have a very keen sense of smell and can detect food sources even at a distance, which is why they are attracted to campsites, homes with bird feeders or outdoor pet food dishes, compost piles, outdoor trash bins and other sources of potential meals. While bears are generally shy and avoid humans, they can lose their fear if encounters happen more frequently.
Black bears have a fairly large home range with males often covering 12 to 60 square miles. Females have smaller range of only 5 to 7 square miles. Often the ranges are used by more than one bear, but not at the same time. The size of their ranges is dependent on the availability of food sources. Sometimes bears mark trees along their travel routes by biting and clawing them likely for territorial purposes.
While many of us think of bears as hibernating creatures, they don’t go into a true hibernation phase but will lower their heart rate and body temperatures and seek out places to den during cold weather when food sources are scarce. Sites for dens could include rock ledges or outcrops, under fallen trees or even in large brush piles. If disturbed, they can be aroused from their sleepy condition which otherwise may last from November through March. During this ‘hibernation’ period, bears do not eat, drink or relieve themselves.
In Connecticut, the bear population is now estimated to be in the hundreds. The CT DEEP (Department of Energy and Environmental Protection) has been tracking black bears using radio-telemetry and GPS collars for years. Interested residents can check here for bear sightings in their towns: https://www.depdata.ct.gov/wildlife/sighting/bearsight.asp).
For the most part, bears do not want to run into humans and vice versa. If there are black bears in your neighborhood, do not attract them with birdseed, pet food left outside, outdoor garbage bins and other sources of food. If a bear strolls onto your property, let it be, or from a safe distance, one could try to scare it with loud noises.
If you encounter a bear while hiking, stay calm and quietly back away if you see it first. Do not run. Once the bear sees you, try making loud noises to frighten it. Bear sprays are sold online or in outdoor stores. Also, it is wise to keep dogs leashed if walking in areas where bears are known to inhabit.
It looks like black bears are here to stay and with an ever increasing population, there is a good chance that more and more Connecticut residents will encounter them. Always observe them from a distance and report bear sightings in Connecticut to the CT DEEP Wildlife Division at (860) 424-3011.
